Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo does.

Characters: Ichigo, Ulquiorra (I revived him!), Orihime & Ishida in spirit.

Post war, post time-skip.

The chattering of the passing crowd and rushing cars of the late morning, chirping birds and children playing in the school yard across the road. A peaceful, quiet momento around the small round table just outside the Cafe shop. Ichigo choose to sit outside for that same reason; why not, with such nice, bright weather today?

At first, he's been nervous about this meeting. He still is, a little. Ulquiorra-in-Gigai, on the other hand, seemed completely and oddly at ease.

"Do you still have regrets about the outcome of our battle, Kurosaki ichigo?"

"Of course I have!" The orange-haired tightened his fingers on his mug, eyes cast down and aside, not daring to direct a look in the green glass-like eyes of his meeting-partner across the table. Ulquiorra observed him carefully. After all this time, the boy still feels guilty. Over him, who was his enemy.

But then again, Ulquiorra already learnt by now, some emotions can be less fleeting than others.

And that's Kurosaki Ichigo, so that's acceptable.

"Still persistent as ever." He murmured with a small sigh, taking the first taste from his Kurosaki Ichigo-recommended Dark Chocolate Fudge. Jade eyes narrowed slightly.

"Look who's talking..."

'Welcome to our café! What would you like to order?'

'Just Latte for me and...Hey, have you ever even tasted Chocolate before?'

'...I recall not.'

'Then you should try the Choco-Fudge. If it's dark Chocolate it won't be so sweet - you'll like it.'

'I doubt I'll like anything sweet.'

It was still sweet. And he liked it. A lot. Who's the persistent one again? surely not him.

"You were right." Ulquiorra decided to blurt out.

"Ah?" Ichigo was so surprised that he blinked and looked up to see Ulquiorra taking another spoonful of the fudge into his mouth. "I like it."

Ichigo cracked a smile.

'Stop, Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun!'

As the red energy gathered around the sharp horns of the raging orange-haired Hollow, pointing the hit at his own comrade and ignoring the pleading screams of his female friend, the sudden hazardous situation caused an unexpected help from the enemy, and one of the horns of kill was cut off by a green lightning-spear, making the unbalanced Cero explode in their faces before it had the chance to fire off.

Ulquiorra likes to think that that was merely an utilization of the opportunity of the raging Hollow-turned Kurosaki Ichigo that turned his back on him and foolishly left himself wide open for attack. He had no reason to help the enemy.

Ichigo, after hearing the whole story from Inoue and Ishida later, had another idea.

'Was I the one who stabbed Ishida?'

'Don't ask me.'*

'And the one... who cut off your left arm and leg? was that me too?'

Silence.

Thinking back on it, Ulquiorra wasn't sure why he avoided answering these questions properly. He only remember how desperate Ichigo looked back then. So, the boy thinks it was some form of kindness from the heartless Espede, not wanting to upset him by replying that yes, it was him indeed who hurt his these surrounding him.

Before that too, when he cut one of Hollow-Ichigo's horns to prevent the deadly Cero aimed at the Quincy, was he moved by Inoue Orihime's scream?

But how can it be, Ulquiorra being ruthless and heartless as he is? Only in his death, in his last moments scattering into ashes and dust did he uncovered his carefully concealed heart.

"Maybe..." Ichigo voiced quietly, absent-mindedly whirling his Latte with the tiny spoon. "Maybe, you had it all along, just didn't realize it."

After a while they stood up and looked at each other. They shouldv'e give each other a small, examining glance, to understand that they have come to terms with one another, that they are no longer enemies and don't need to fight each other, and then should have walked away, each to their own business. Maybe they'll meet again, maybe not.

But they didn't glance briefly, and didn't simply walk off. Instead, they just stared at each other. Ichigo with waiting, questioning look on his face, because the raven-haired's mouth opened and closed, lips moving but with no sound.

"Ulquiorra?" he seemed to want to say something, but not sure of it. Or just didn't know how to phrase it.

Ulquiorra looked down as he tried to speak up.

"You..." The later assumption was true. How should he phrase it? He still doesn't know about the heart much, about pain much, to say that when Ichigo looks at him, he seems sad and despaired. That when he looks at his own eyes his brown gaze is full of regret and hurt. How could he say it? that seeing him making such an expression, even if not fully visibly on the outside, is making him feel ...odd? how can he explain the he doesn't like that feeling, and that to stop this feeling, Ichigo should stop looking so miserable?

How should he tell him that he shouldn't look so despaired, because it's making him feel miserable?

"You..." He started, then said; "-I'm alive."

For a moment Ichigo looked surprised, but then he smiled. A small, peaceful, and yet sad smile. "...Yes. You are." And not thanks to me. "I guess it's your win-"

"No. I'm alive." Ulquiorra insisted, and as his jade eyes shift to meet his, and the angst emotion from the choco ones seemed to reflect back to his. "I've lived. I'm standing right here before you, you can see me with your own eyes. So... so you stop...remembering that. Forget about what happened. ..You have no need to remember that anymore."

I am here. I am right infront of you, and you can see me, with your own eyes, because you are you, and not the Hollow-killing machine from back then. I've lived, so it doesn't matter that the other-you who you blame yourself responsible for killed me because I'm alive now and I'm fine. So forget what happened and stop blaming yourself for that.

"Please."

And that was how Ulquiorra ended his meeting with Ichigo and walked away, leaving Ichigo to fall back to his seat.

*Shitta koto ka - that's what Ulquiorra says in Japanese. Now the translation: I. Went. Through ONE Anime subs and at least Four Manga pages from 4 different sites to find the ultimate translation to this freaking line. Dictionaries didn't help at all. In one manga it means: 'Like I care' while In Another: 'don't ask me..' personal, to me it sounded: 'Like I know something like that\care about something like that'. So I choose: Don't ask me.

But Blah, that was annoying (sigh).