The Heart, a bleach fanfic

Drip, drop. Drip Drop.

"Rain, rain, go away –"

Footsteps. Tip tap, tip tap.

"Come again another day."

But there was no rain in Hueco Mundo, and Orihime knew that well enough.

Ulquiorra followed orders.

Aizen-sama was his God; his father that he held no love towards, and his idol – it was not that he wanted to be like him, but rather he held him at a reverence that suited the child of such a great yet terrible man. He did not care about the morals and responsibilities that came with taking life –

(Because to him, life was empty, an empty, empty place -)

and no one forced him to, because they were all the same – the Arrancar were merely tools for Aizen, handy items used as means to an end. Aizen shed no affection for them, and neither did they for him.

After all, Hueco Mundo was a place where there were only ashes and broken spirits and promises of once weres.

Until he met Orihime, he did not know what it meant to have a heart.

"Straight ahead, one will not go very far."

"…Why?"

She just smiled. A small, sad smile.

Orihime believed in hearts.

She believed that between her, Ichigo, Ishida, Rukia, and Chad, there was a heart. It was between them, among them, always whispering the promises of love and friendship and we will always be togethers –

But most of all, she believed that Ulquiorra had a heart.

Even if he did not believe it himself.

Drip, drop. Drip, drop.

"It's raining, it's pouring –"

There was no rain.

Drip, drop. Drip Drop.

"Why do you cry, Orihime?"

Some nights, they would keep each other company.

They would not do much; only lay together, limbs entwined. Simple. Like breathing; they would bathe in each other's presence. He would smooth his hand over her bare arms, listen to the soft pounding of her heart – it made up for the fact that he had nothing in his chest to beat for her, only empty, empty, empty –

"Straight ahead, one will not go very far."

"…Why do you say this?"

…

"Because there is nothing here."

She closed her eyes.

Except for you.

What is that?

-badump-

What would I see if I crack open your chest?

-badump-

If I broke open your skull, what would I see?

-badump-

There is nothing in Hueco Mundo. Only endless stretches of pearly sand and diamond trees, no winds that blow or birds that chirp.

It is a beautiful place.

It is a dead place.

Ulquiorra knows that, because he sees nothing ahead –

(or does he?)

and nothing beyond.

.10

Straight ahead, one cannot go very far. Ulquiorra touches the hole in his throat, and he knows.

.11

-badump-

You humans say the word so easily, just like –

-badump-

—Ah, I see.

.12

Orihime reaches for his hand, but Ulquiorra knows that if he lets her catch him, there will be no end.

She did not belong in this land of no hearts.

…

He never told her about the heart that lived between their hands.

.13

Straight ahead, one will not go very far.

(because even the heartless)

(need hearts.)

.14

This is it.

-badump-

This here in my hand –

-badump-

The Heart.

Bum bum, my entry for the challenge. :D Some references:

- the centering of some parts of the story mean that they appear in the actual manga

- manga reference: http :// www . onemanga . com / Bleach / 354 / 01 /

(take out the spaces.)