Just a little something that came up while it continued rain on and on and on today (Sept 7).

Disclaimer: I own nothing nor do I make a profit.

Storm of Curiosity

Rain pattered upon the window while the wind shoved it hard against it. Orihime looked at the window to her right, watching the water trickle down the glass that kept it outside. It was relaxing despite being a downpour. Orihime turned back to her book to continue reading before turning the page. The rain continued it's rhythm of relaxation.

Most people saw it depressing and blamed it for disrupting their plans but she, like others, enjoyed it. It was nice to have a change in the weather.

When she was little, Orihime would put on her raincoat and run around in the puddles laughing without a care in the world. She even brought her head back to open her mouth for the water to come in while her mother told her to be careful so not to slip. A small smile formed on her lips at the memory. She had slipped in a puddle of mud but rather found it funny than cry.

The wind started to become stronger after an hour or so passed while the rain started to pour hard. Orihime was now eating and froze to look at the same window as before. The storm was quite huge than most and it was now letting out it's last present of rainfall to the area that it passed over.

However, something felt off. Orihime ate in silence while she heard the thunder rumble like drums after the lightning flashed out in the sky. With a sigh, she got up and walked towards the remote to turn on the TV so that it would distract her. Yes, she may like rain, but a little part of her always became scared with fear of what would happen to her and her home.

When she put down the remote, a bracelet near the TV caught her eye. She knew that bracelet well. It made humans not being able to see her. Ulquiorra had given it to her as part of the plan so that no one would follow her. While the news reporter talked about an accident in the rain, Orihime thought back to the Espada that threatened her friends and was ordered to be her caretaker. The both of them had grown a bond over that time. She should've thrown that bracelet away since people would use it to steal yet Orihime wouldn't. She couldn't. Yes, she had tried, but no matter what she did by fooling herself or making a careless toss towards the bin, she failed to get rid of it.

Suddenly, a cracking thunder sounded not too far away and the lights went out. Orihime let out a slight scream in surprise and in fear before calming herself down. The lightning flashed outside like kids were playing with a light while the thunder seemed to laugh. She could never help herself from freaking out despite knowing it would happen with a bad storm such as this. While she used the lightning to go back to the kitchen, an image of Ulquiorra's second release flashed in front of her before disappearing like nothing.

Orihime's eyes widened while her mouth opened before stopping herself. Ever since that time he disappeared, the very one that didn't treat her like she was weak and couldn't help. The lightning flashed again but there was no image of the Espada. Orihime shook her head before continuing on before picking up the flashlight that was upon the counter and flicked it on. Thunder rolled outside like a growl while the rain poured and poured like it was neverending.

Her thoughts led to the question of why she saw that illusion of Ulquiorra in his final release. It made no sense. Well, she did...grow a bond with him, that much was apparent, but why would she see an illusion of him now, of all times? A click caught her attention before the TV sprang to life as well as the house with the lights and clock's blinking. Switching off the flashlight, Orihime set off to finish her dinner while watching the television with the flashlight beside her. Just in case.

After she was finished eating her dinner, as weird as it was, she turned off the television before heading to her bedroom and the strangest thing happened. Her place distorted in front of her eyes yet she was now in a place with dark tiles and white walls made of stone. Orihime looked down at her feet, glad to have house-shoes on that were comfy enough to wear on such cold floor, yet that didn't stop her from the questions flowing into her head: What happened just now? Where was she? Why was she here?

"Hello...? Is anyone there?" Orihime looked at her surroundings: It was bland, not a decoration in sight, just...emptiness. The marble black floor had specs of white upon it like someone made splatters with a small brush upon it with white paint. "Hello?" She was starting to panic a little since if there was no one here, she couldn't get out and if she couldn't get out, she'll be stuck here. "Is any-" Orihime let out a gasp to what she saw down the hallway. This couldn't be real! She would definitely have to be dreaming since he was gone already.

Those wings, they seemed to eat up the entire walkway while the familiar figure walked closer, his black hair moving against his form softly while the extra fur upon him made the same motion as well. But those wings! Were they really that long and wide? It had been so long since she'd last see them. So long since she'd last seen him too.

"Ulquiorra..." She said his name in a whisper but he would no doubt hear her. "What...I mean, where? How...?" He was close to her now, close enough to take her in his arms if he so wished but he stayed still and simply stared down at her with those feral eyes of his. The ear-like horns sprouted from his head and were longer than she remembered as well.

It had really been that long.

"Why am I here?" There, she finally said the question that was swimming around her mind like a shark. Orihime became a bit impatient when he wouldn't answer, already forgetting he took his time to answer, until he finally did.

"I do not know why."

Orihime blinked. He didn't...know? Well, that was the first. "Where am I?"

"I've been wondering that myself, woman."

She didn't know she had missed that...nickname of his until now. It was weird to say the least but still, he called her that despite knowing her name.

"Is this...real?"

Ulquiorra cocked his head back like he usually did when a silly question was asked. "Yes."

"Do you know how to get out?" A nod was her answer and that was all she needed to wipe away the fear of not being able to leave this mysterious place. "Can you help me get out?"

"Since you have helped me, I shall help you, woman." Now that caused Orihime to blink and show confusement. She didn't help him, at least, that's what she thought. However, Ulquiorra wasted no time and brought up his right hand so that his palm was parallel to the wall before sending some sort of white magic toward it yet-

"The sky?"

Oh no. There was no way she could get out-

"Woman."

"Eh, yes?"

"Get on my back."

"...what? I...I can't... No, I'm uh, afraid of heights." Orihime failed to hide the blush and that was a huge, fat lie. A lie that Ulquiorra didn't buy at all either to which he showed by narrowing his eyes.

"Are you?"

"Yes." Orihime rubbed her arms.

"I will force you onto my back if I have to, woman." Now that brought up a memory. A memory that was old yet was very nostalgic of him threatening to force feed her if she refused to eat.

Letting out a sigh, clearly she wouldn't win against him and there was no way she was going to be dragged onto his back, Orihime finally agreed. "Yes, I know you will." She started to head towards him, very nervous, yet the thought of being free was starting to override that each second. Then again, she was always curious on what his wings and fur felt like. Suddenly, something soft brushed against her causing her to squeal a little before feeling absolutely silly when she caught sight of his tail.

"Hurry, woman."

Orihime never realized how impatient he could be yet heeded his command by finally getting upon his back. He easily held her weight unlike her father who used to give her piggyback rides. Ulquiorra was like a statue and didn't need to touch her with his hands. Orihime felt something wrap around her stomach and looked down. The tail acted like an emergency harness in case she was blown off.

She didn't need to tell him she was ready since he was already heading toward the opening before spreading his wings out and used his ability to glide out in the sky. It was still raining but thankfully, there was only thunder now in the distance.

"Strange, it wasn't like this before." There came no answer but she knew he listened to her and that was enough for her.

"It seems time in there is like an hour here."

"An...hour?"

"Yes." Ulquiorra continued to glide in the sky while Orihime held onto him so not to cause any trouble falling off. That would be scary. Ha, here she was worrying about falling off a hollow. Oh the irony.

"So...is that place where you have been all this time?"

"No."

"Where were you before?"

"Enough questions, woman." In truth, he didn't know.

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to... Just curious."

"Woman."

"Yes?"

"Being curious will meet your end someday."

Orihime blinked and thought about on what he said and just when she thought she had the answer, they had finally reached their destination: Her home. When she climbed down his back and onto the pavement, she finally asked, "What did you mean when you said that?"

Ulquiorra turned around to face her, staring at her for a while before bringing up one of those deadly, nightmare-like claws up so that the tips would graze over her left cheek. Orihime blinked at the action, yet, the way they felt - velvet yet tough - against her skin. It was close to a cat's tongue.

Ulquiorra pulled back immediately after he came back to his senses. "I must leave."

"Huh? But...can't you stay?"

"No."

Orihime shifted her eyes to the right in disappointment before looking at the ground. "It's just...it's been a while. Ever since you disappeared that day-."

"Don't speak nonsense."

"I'm no-"

"Woman." His voice cut through hers in impatience.

"No, you need to listen, Ulquiorra!" Orihime had finally risen her voice to him in irritation. Unlike in the past, she had slapped them which had caused her hand to hurt. "I know what I'm saying is weird to you but it's true."

"Woman." He was warning her to not go on.

"I mean it Ulquiorra! I could talk to you without being seen as a weakness - a burden - like my friends viewed me in the past. They still do sometimes but you never saw me that way. I've always wanted to help them and I felt so helpless when I couldn't! Especially when I couldn't do anything when you hurt Ichigo. I was filled with panic and I regretted making him turn into that Hollow state and to see him hurt you that way. It was all my fault and I wanted to help but when you started to crumble..." Orihime held back her tears as much as she could from the memory of him reaching out after asking her an important question.

"Those tears...they were real." He hadn't been imagining it. She had really cried for him while he faced his death.

"Yes," she said with her voice cracking with emotion.

"Why would you cry for me?"

"Because you mean a lot to me. I didn't realize it until you were gone."

"I am here."

"Yes," she started to smile. "Yes you are and I'm so happy that you are."

Ulquiorra was silent and that's when Orihime grew the courage to bring her own hand to brush her fingertips against his left cheek. She even traced the bold lines below his eyes with her fingers. "How I've missed you," she whispered.

That's when something in Ulquiorra changed and before the both of them knew it, she was in his arms while his wings shelled them out from the world.

Nothing was said since actions spoke a lot more loudly than words. After a couple of minutes or so passed, Ulquiorra started to move his wings from around them before letting her go.

"I must leave."

"Will you visit if you can't stay?"

Ulquirroa was silent for a while before giving a nod which earned him a very bright smile from Orihime. "I can only do so when it storms since that's how you visited me."

"I don't know how that happened."

"Until the next storm, woman." Oh, did she love that nickname more than before.

With a static sound, he vanished but this time, there were no tears from her. A smile was in its place now.

I hope you guys enjoyed that. I know what you're thinking though about what he is now, how it happened, and where that place is along with why does he need to go. Some things are better left unexplained, part of the mystery and fun of guessing, and honestly I haven't thought up of the reason, haha.

So, do tell me what you thought about it and I just might continue with this since I love it when it rains and sometimes when it storms when it's not too violent.