AN: Ayyyyy, my first non-OC story, huh? Yeah! Anyways, I'm rewatching Bleach again and I keep thinking about Ulqiorra and Orihime. The only thing I can think about is...whyyyyyyy? D; They're the perfect pairing in Bleach...after Gin and Rangiku, but that's another sad story that will be saved for another day. =[

There was only one thing that ran through his mind as his body began disintegrating from Ichigo's vicious attack. He turned to Orihime and looked straight into her eyes; she didn't flinch or avert her gaze. Something stirred within him as other thoughts crossed his mind.

Regret.

Orihime was a strong woman, despite her weak appearance, and Ulqiorra came to admire her eyes. They were her most beautiful characteristics. Though her expressions did not reveal much, her eyes were always burning with all sorts of emotions. When he threatened her to eat, her eyes burned with pity. When he told her that her friends had infiltrated Hueco Mundo, her eyes burned with hope. Even when he mocked her for believing in her friends, her eyes were filled with confidence and slight defiance.

But as she looked at him now, her eyes burned with…sadness?

He wanted to ask her why she felt sad. Was she sad that he was dying? Or perhaps she was actually happy that she was free of his presence. Still, he reached out to her, remembering the times that he mocked her for her human emotions. Ulqiorra scoffed at himself as he recalled his words to her. He didn't understand then but perhaps, it was because he didn't want to admit his weakness.

She had become his weakness.

He was the Espada of emptiness. His very essence was nothing but emptiness. He felt no emotions and cared for no one but Aizen-sama but as he spent time with Orihime and observed her, his emptiness slowly began to disappear. It was a puzzling phenomenon and Ulqiorra was horrified to discover that he didn't mind this change.

He was fully aware of the fact that he had grown to anticipate his daily visitations to Orihime's room. She was tragically beautiful, whether she knew it or not, and in the back of his mind Ulqiorra had a thought that she would be a perfect queen if it were he and not Aizen who was to be king. At that time…did he feel…interest? Or was it…love?

It had to be. It was the only thing that could explain his strange behavior. Who knew that foolish human love could taint even an Espada?

When he saw that Orihime's door was knocked down and a hole was blown through her wall, a pang of worry shot through his chest. His first thought was that Orihime might be dead or injured. His second thought was that he would murder whoever was bothering her. Aizen didn't even cross his mind.

He wanted to know more about her and about these emotions she held in her heart. He wanted to know how she was able to remain unafraid to the very end. It wasn't in his nature to be kind or caring yet he knew that Orihime thought otherwise. He knew she would be able to pick some characteristic of his that could be counted as wise and caring and somewhat human. Despite his lack of understanding of human emotions, he wanted to know if she could love a monster such as himself.

But it was too late.

Ulqiorra sighed to himself. If he was to be given another chance, he would try to love Orihime.

As he reached out towards her with his dying breath, as she looked at him with that expression in her eyes and reached out towards him, he finally understood that somewhere in her heart, she loved him.

He was no longer empty; now, he was filled with love.