Love At First Word

Chapter 3

As I got closer to them, I noticed strange things.
One was sleeping, one was about three inches shorter than me and freaking pale, and 'Jiruga' was huge and had a bandana tied over one eye.
That made me smile.

"Um, hello." I greeted quietly. Grimmjow slung an arm around my shoulders and patted my chest with the other one.
He kicked the sleeping guy, who jerked up, alert and awake.

"This is Ichigo Kurosaki. Ichigo, this is Ulquiorra Cifer, Coyote Starrk, and-"

"Jiruga?" I asked, to which they all looked at me funny.

"Yeah, how'd you know, shortie?" Jiruga asked.

"Kenpachi told me when you yelled at him." I told them, proud I'd remembered everyone's names already.

"Speakin' of, how d'ya know the Coach and Mr. Urahara?" Grimmjow lead me to sit down outside, and I followed his movements as he and the others stretched.

"Kisuke is my Uncle. Kenpachi is my Martial Arts teacher." I knew it wasn't okay to tell them anything else.

"Well you got lucky, getting into a school with two people you know." Starrk mumbled, and I nodded happily.

"Yeah, but I know all the other teachers too. I've been here before, just not as a student. I used to have to come to school with Kisuke when I visited!" I hoped they'd see me as someone that could be accepted into their group.

"Seriously? Why haven't we seen you before? I'm sure I'd remember hair like that." Grimmjow grinned at me and I smiled back.

"I came after school. Usually, I spent the day sleeping in the teacher's lounge and I'd wonder around school after everyone left." I explained, to which they all nodded in understanding.

"Well, s'nice ta meet you." Jiruga told me.

"By the way, what's your first name?" Jiruga grinned at me.

"Nnoitra. Nnoitra Jiruga." He replied, making me grin back.

I looked to my other side and caught Grimmjow's frown. Before I could ask, Kenpachi told everyone to get to the track and 'run till we dropped.'

As I walked between them, I finally got up the courage to ask Nnoitra away from the group, relieved he agreed.

"What is it, newbie?" He inquired, walking a bit faster so that we could lose the group.

"I wanted to ask about your bandana."

"Yeah, you like it? It's new, got it yesterday-"

"Um..no. I actually meant.." I stopped myself, afraid I'd offend him if I continued, but he just laughed.

"Yeah, Kurosaki. I lost it when I was nine. Dad was abusive." I was amazed Nnoitra could shrug that off like he was talking about the weather.

"Oh. Okay, well, can I tell you something too?"
I smiled when he nodded, a confused frown on his face.

~ Grimmjow ~

For some reason, it bothered me that Ichigo had pulled Nnoitra away from us.
Ichigo was smiling, Nnoitra laughed, and Ichigo was blushing madly.

"It's fine, Grimmjow. He's taking comfort in talking to someone." Starrk told me.

"And you should stop muttering angrily. It makes you look stupid." Ulquiorra added. I shoved him a bit and rolled my eyes at him.

"Whatever." I grumbled.

Eventually, we caught up to them when they stopped at the track entrance with everyone else. Ichigo pulled out his phone, reading a text before he put his earbuds in.

"See you guys later!"
Ichigo took off running amazingly fast. He didn't look like he was making an effort, nor breaking a sweat, and for the first time, I noticed his clothes weren't conventional for a typical male.
Short jean shorts, a loose tank top, and low top chucks with pink print - I couldn't see the details from where I was.

"Stop gawkin' at the newbie and get your rear-end moving, Jeagerjaques!" Kenpachi rumbled, spurring me into movement.

________

Same as last time - please keep quiet if you know what's going on!