Come Fall In Love

Hey readers! This is my first ever fanfiction and it has been a blast to write so far. A few things I would like to point out quickly incase some readers would rather skip to the "nitty gritty" so to speak. The first chapter follows the manga canon strictly and is mainly what I would imagine Orihime and Ulquiorra's inner monologue to be while the final UlquiIchi fight is going down. If you don't like reading canon I would recommend you proceed to chapter two as the first chapter is to mainly set up the nature of their relationship as I saw it.

DISSCLAIMER: I ABSOLUTELY CREDIT TITE KUBO FOR BLEACH

Please enjoy :)

I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)

[Chorus:]
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
Become so tired, so much more aware
I'm becoming this, all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

Can't you see that you're smothering me,
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control?
'Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you.

And I know
I may end up failing too.
But I know
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you.

(Linkin Park- Numb)

Chapter 1: Sorrow

"You should smile." Aizen's face was mere inches from hers, a hand cupping her chin and running a thumb gently over her soft lips while he whispered in her ear. "You just smile, and wait right here for a while. For a darkened sun will only bring sadness."

She couldn't move a muscle, if she did she would collapse under the presence that he was emitting, shocking her down to her very soul. She didn't even realize that he had withdrawn the Hougyoku from his pocket, a devious smile tracing along his mouth. "Just wait, I will destroy Karakura Town and after you are freed from your human weakness you will be my greatest asset, Hime." And with that he pressed the jewel to her collar bone, only then had she realized what he was intending to do and tried to back away but Gin was right behind her both shoulders firmly setting her in place. "Now ya don't need to be goin' anywhere Hime-chan." He spoke over her shoulder, a shudder running down her spine.

As soon as she felt contact with the jewel she felt immense energy flow into her, threatening to overwhelm her entirely. Just when she felt she was going to lose consciousness she felt the power lift and she blinked. Looking into Aizen's face she saw confusion and immediately looked herself over to see if she had changed at all but looked exactly the same to her relief.

"Hmm, perhaps it is because you are still human, or maybe your powers are interfering. No matter, you have still served your most important purpose." And with that he turned and had Tousen use a form of Kido to create a loud speaker so he could reveal his plan to his intruders. "...Inoue Orihime, I am leaving in the 5th tower. If you wish to retrieve her, you may come and make your attempt. I no longer have any use for her... I just leave Las Noches to you for a while, Ulquiorra."

Suddenly a hand broke out of a void, pale as the reverse moon of Hueco Mundo and nails as black as the perpetual night. "Hai, sir."

Orihime's eyes widened, she hadn't known whether he would escape the Caja Negacion so quickly and felt both a sense of relief and uncertainty. He looked at her with his piercing gaze, strolling out from behind the thrown hands now buried deep in his pockets. She could do nothing but stare into those dark emerald eyes that always seemed to be looking into her very soul.

He began his even paced saunter towards her, feet never missing a beat, back as straight as a board and coat tails softly swishing behind him, all the while never leaving her eyes and he contemplated her face. He looked over her vibrant sunset locks, such a contrast to the colorless palace, a shock of color in a world of white and black, down to the soft curves of her cheeks and pouting lips, were they as soft and silken as he imagined them to be? Would he ever get the chance to run his fingers through her locks as he often caught himself, wanting to do but always stopping? And then there were her deep silver eyes, those pools of mystery. He was always trying to decipher them yet when he thought he had finally found the answer he always found himself shocked when she would prove him wrong. She was a vexing Onna, simplistic in so many ways yet so complicated, always giving speeches about hearts and friends that frustrated and confused him to no end. Yet for all of the annoyance and confusion and childishness he had to put up with while dealing with her he couldn't help but continue in his quest to solve the puzzle that was she.

"Are you scared?" He asked hoping to finally catch a glimpse of her fear. Surely now when everything was crumbling around her she would be afraid. "You're useless to Aizen-sama now. There's no one left to protect you." Her eyes closed slightly, was this sadness? Or maybe resignation? "It is over. You will die. Alone here, where no one can touch you." He was so close to solving her, only a foot away from her now; those orbs that he couldn't tear himself away from were finally going to give him the answer he was seeking. "I asked you if you're scared."

"I'm not scared." She said, staring back into his penetrating gaze, never faltering for a second as he tried to conceal the shock that had flitted across his face. "Everyone came to save me, so my heart is already with them."

More nonsense about the heart, this is ridiculous. "You are unafraid because your friends came for you? Are you serious?" He wanted to understand so much, why was this concept of the heart so important, why did it keep her from feeling the fear of death when it was capable of instilling so much pain?

"Yes." She answered, seeing his need for explanation, desperation even, swimming behind his emerald eyes though his face betrayed nothing, maintaining its perfect stoic façade. "When I first heard they were coming to rescue me, I was a little happy and a lot sad. I came here to protect everyone, so why did they have to follow me? I wondered why they hadn't realized. But, when I felt Kuchiki fall, and when I saw Kurosaki fighting, none of it mattered anymore. I just didn't want them to get hurt. I just wanted everyone to be safe." Her gaze had now focused on the floor; her face had taken on an emotion he couldn't quite make out. "That's when I realized. Oh, they probably felt the same. If one of them had disappeared the way I did, I know I'd do the same thing."

Her gaze had softened, the most perfect mixture of sadness and tenderness displayed across her delicate features, he clenched his hand in his pocket resisting the familiar urge to run his fingers along her soft cheek and have her look at him with that same tender face.

"It's impossible to feel exactly the same as someone else, but you can treasure your friends and keep them close in your heart. I think that's what it means to make your hearts as one."

He took a second to digest her words, such illogical notions and again always leading back to hearts. "Hearts?" he couldn't hide the hint of frustration and disdain in his voice. "You humans are always talking about hearts. It is as if you have them in the palm of your hand." It was time to finally make her realize his logic rose above such a meaningless notion.

"But my eye sees everything. Nothing can escape it. What it doesn't see doesn't exist. That is how I have always fought." Surprise lit up her face; maybe he was finally getting somewhere. If he just pressed her a little further maybe then he could understand. "What is a heart?" He lifted his hand, a bolt of electricity running down his arm as his fingertips grazed the soft fabric over her heart. "If I rip open your chest, will I see it? If I crack open your skull will I find it there?" He needed to know so badly, why couldn't he find the answer?

As if on cue, he felt a familiar reiatsu, the only being he found he had actually come to hate. The stubborn annoyance that refused to get out of the way in his quest to find the answers he sought. And above all it was the being that sought to take away the only thing he had ever found himself fascinated with.

This game had gone on long enough, he was finally going to rid himself of this pest, the man his fascination loved so much, who she put all of her hopes in and who made her so weak it was pathetic. He knew how strong she really was, she had stood defiantly against him countless times even daring to strike him in the face. Yet whenever he came she would crumble like sand into a pathetic heap waiting to be saved when she had the power to save herself all along. This man made the Onna weak, she was so much more than the boy saw and he did not deserve her affections.

"Kurosaki." He heard her whisper, already she was slipping, and he couldn't allow this to continue.

"Get away from Inoue." The strawberry blond demanded, trying to be intimidating, pathetic.

"I plan to." How else would I crush you into pieces? "My job is to defend Las Noches until Aizen returns. I have no orders to kill the girl." Not that he was even sure he would be able to at this point had he been given such an order, but he does not need to know that. "I will let her live until I receive orders to do so."

He paused collecting himself, readying for the fight he had been secretly hoping for, to finally be rid of this pest and have the Onna all to himself. "But you are different. Killing you is protecting Las Noches." And what is mine. "So I will eradicate you. With my sword."

"I'm surprised, I didn't think you'd unsheathe your sword right away. I thought I'd have to get you to unsheathe it. So, does that mean you see me as a worthy opponent now?"

Such petulance, does he really think he can force me to do something? "At the very least, I see you as someone who must be destroyed."

"Good enough for me."

Orihime watched in silence as the two men in front of her squared off, both emitting a fierce aura. It was as she was seeing these two figures standing in front of her that she began to feel something she had never anticipated feeling before. She felt conflicted.

On the one had there was the man who she had known all her life. He was strong, courageous, and cared deeply about his friends. She had even chosen him as her person to say goodbye to and confessed that she would love him for five lifetimes, even though she knew she would never have her feelings returned.

And then there was him. The perpetual mystery, her kidnapper and abuser yet it was hard for her to see him that way. He had been her one constant in this hellish place and had protected her from the dangers of this world, even when Loly and Menoly and Grimmjow had come he had come after her because he thought she was in danger.

He may have justified it for different reasons but she had come to read his face and microscopic changes that gave away his true thoughts. He had been worried about her, and she had felt guilty. She felt guilty for healing her friend! As if she had broken the fragile trust that had slowly been building between them, was that why her heart ached when she saw him walk out of the void? Would he still talk to her after she had "betrayed" him, if she could really call it that? He wasn't always easy to talk to and for the most part he would insult her or make her so angry she would cry or even slap him in the face. Yet at the same time she couldn't help but feel like she was stronger because of it, she had learned not to take crap from him, to show weakness, to rely on others, because in this place she had nobody to come to her aid.

And it had gotten to the point where they had established a weird sort of connection, he would let his guard down around her more, she even found him fast asleep on her couch at one point!

Seeing him in such a peaceful state, looking over his serene features, and admiring the handsomeness of his face, the silky ebony locks that hung messily framing it, the teal tear marks that ran down his face and his full dual colored lips that stood stark against his pale skin. And of course there were his eyes, so intense and deep she could feel herself pulled into a sort of spell whenever she was caught in their gaze and she could never look away.

It was this fragile bond they had formed that had no real title to it. They weren't friends, and they weren't acquaintances, yet it was so much more than captor and captive or even Stalk home and Lima syndrome. There was this mutual desire to understand each other. At times she could see how confused and in pain he was and she couldn't help but want to save him from it, and at the same time he strove to understand the emotions that were so foreign to him yet so abundant in her.

She was snapped out of her pensiveness by a sudden pause in the commotion, both of them had stopped fighting; though it was clear Ulquiorra was showing no signs of fatigue where Ichigo was panting.

Ulquiorra had started making some comment about his mask being stronger until something he said caught her attention.

"Is it because of her? Or maybe because of your friends still fighting below." He glanced over at her. "That girl is already one of us. Even if you manage to rescue her, that won't change." Shock registered on Ichigo's face and Ulquiorra turned his attention back to him continuing on. "Rescuing her is meaningless."

"That's not up to you to decide!" He gritted through his teeth, blood covering the front of his face. "You're right." Ulquiorra countered. "It was Aizen-sama's decision."