Gladiator

Chapter 3

Grimmjow followed the smaller male, completely unable - and unwilling - to take his eyes off the gorgeous body in front of him.

Ichigo grabbed him and sat him down on a bench, digging a small box out of a nook in the wall.

"So what do you do for fun around here?" the red-head inquired as he knelt in front of Grimmjow and opened the box to reveal medical equipment.

"Fun?" Grimmjow grunted back, confused at the smaller slave's question. What was more fun than tearing people apart?

"Yeah, fun. Like training or sex or games. Anything like that?" Ichigo asked, wrapping Grimmjow's wrist tightly in bandages.

"Er...yeah, I guess Szayel gets around." the blue-haired man mumbled, flexing the fingers of his wrapped hand.
"Why's a bit'a bandaging make my wrist feel better already?"

"Because I made it stiff. You can't move your wrist as well, so you're not tweaking your sprain as much." the kneeling man patiently explained as he pulled a needle and sterile thread from the box. After wiping the cut with an alcohol-soaked pad (and taking a swig of the ale), Ichigo threaded his needle.
"This is gonna feel really weird since I have nothing to numb you with. Might sting a little, but it's nothing you can't handle."

Grimmjow watched quietly as the new slave threaded the dark string through his skin. It did feel weird, and it was certainly strange to watch the curved needle pass in and out of his flesh quickly. Within minutes, Ichigo bit and tied the thick string, patting the injury for good measure.

"Good as new. Glad that's the only thing on you I gotta stitch!" the red-head laughed lightly, pulling out another pad and three more rolls of bandages.
"Stand please."

Grimmjow did as told, along with holding his arms out to the sides when told to allow Ichigo's nimble fingers to clean and wrap his torso in the white bandages.
"I never had this done before." Grimmjow muttered, and the Fox smiled.

"Little weird, innit? Getting taken care of when you're used to violence and toughing it out." Ichigo secured the last bandage and patted his chest.
"Think of it this way. You'll heal faster and Aizen'll let you fight sooner."

With that, he hid the the little wooden box and sauntered out. Grimmjow followed closely, catching up to him quickly.

"Where'd you come from? Ya look like a bed warmer." Grimmjow blurted, and the red-head grinned at him.

"Bed warmer, huh? I've been told a lot of things, but I think that might be a new one." Ichigo laughed. "I know it's just because I'm smaller than a lot of the gladiators here. You're used to bigger guys, huh?"

Grimmjow nodded, a slight frown marring his expression.
"How old'd you say you were?"

"I didn't." the red-head told him with a sly smile, "and I can't tell you where I came from. I might get in trouble."
He pressed a finger to his lips in a signal not to ask anything further, and pushed open the door to Aizen's chambers.

"Ichigo?"

"Yes, sir?" Ichigo chirped, much different from his previous friendly tone with Grimmjow, as he ambled towards his master.

Grimmjow flopped down on the floor next to Nnoitra, who poked at his bandages.
"Wherdjyaget those?"

"The new slave." Grimmjow answered back. He fingered the bandages delicately so as not to ruin the rather amazing job Ichigo had done.
"Tol' me ta siddown and stitched me up."

Nnoitra sat up to stare at the red-head on Aizen's lap while their leader whispered in his ear.
"Where'd'ee learn ta do that?"

Grimmjow shrugged as well as he could on the floor, deciding he was going to nap.
A moment later, though, his eyes snapped open at the tingle in his neck that told him he was being watched.

Wide, honeyed eyes were looking down at him with a grin on the lips accompanying them.
"Hi."

"You wan' somethin'?" Nnoitra asked from his side, and Ichigo looked up to him as Grimmjow sat up.

"Want somethin'?" Ichigo pondered to himself, scratching his head. "I guess I wanna make good with the people I'll be spending the next few months with. I'd rather not live estranged from my housemates."

"What'dya mean, 'next few months'? You're gonna be here for the rest of you life." Szayel whispered from where he lounged on the couch just behind them.

Ichigo only smiled deviously. "That'd be telling, wouldn't it?"

Aizen called for his new slave once more and Ichigo walked away with an immeasurable grace that underlay his wily saunter.

As he slid back onto the lap he'd only recently left and settled his cheek on Aizen's chest, he pulled his knees to his chest to tuck his feet between Aizen's legs and wriggle his toes under one thigh. He turned his head to look at the other three slaves staring at him in bewilderment.

He grinned and turned his gaze back to the person holding him.

Slowly, Ichigo raised and hand to place on Aizen's throat. When the other man tensed, Ichigo smiled his best 'loyal pet' smile and stroked the expanse of skin presented to him by the low-necked robes. Aizen relaxed again.

Just a few months more, the red-head thought to himself, and I'll escape with a souvenir.
He glanced back at Grimmjow again. Or two.