Author's note: Thank you Bleach Gods for giving me chapter 353 to play with!! I really wasn't a big fan of Orihime. At all. But now, all this fangirlishness [[oh snap new word]] for Ulqui/Hime is driving me up the wall. Uploaded at the same time as this [[if everything goes according to plan]] is a oneshot for Ulquiorra and Orihime's supercheesy cuteness titled Done Pretending. It's definitely not my best work, but I've got four stories going on right now. [[Yay for my unknown muse kicking my brain into action!!]]
Anyway, enjoy!!
Oh yeah! And I can't forget to give ALLLLLLL my thanks to my WONDERFUL beta fishy slash APUS buddy, Jessica!!! [[AKA Gaarafan3125.]]
Summary: Aizen won the battle in Hueco Mundo. Ichigo and co. are recuperating in Karakura Town and getting ready to come for Orihime once more. Meanwhile, the sunshine haired girl is still in her room in Las Noches, and is still being watched over by the Fourth Espada, Ulquiorra Schiffer. (slightly /HIME! Orihime VERY OOC. You've been warned.)
I stared blankly at the barren walls I had seen so many times before. Just white, nothing more, nothing less. Aizen hadn't allowed me to change anything about the room, regardless if I were his human 'pet' or his personal slave or his 'guest.' Whatever I was, I wasn't leaving. Not for a while, at least. Not until Kurosaki and the others were stronger once more. Stronger than they were the last time they fought the Arrancar and lost. Stronger than they ever have been...
But I knew that I had to give them all my hope and all my wishes. And all my prayers, if there really was a "God" beyond Soul Society or Hueco Mundo. Because from what I've seen and sensed, the Arrancar were not something to be taken lightly.
Lost within my thoughts of Kurosaki and Kuchiki-san, God, Soul Society, and my living own personal living Hell, my 'caretaker,' or rather, my assigned baby-sitter, Ulquiorra Schiffer, walked into my room. Without knocking, of course... Again.
"One day, you're going to walk in, and I'm going to be stark naked. And you're going to feel like a total ass." I spat in his general direction, from my bed. I didn't bother getting up. I had taken to cussing lately. Became less of a good, innocent girl and more of an uncaring bitch. I guess this place has a way of gradually changing a person. I mean why should I care about language? The use of 'vulgar words' was definitely not the worst thing happening around Las Noches.
He answered me in a similarly uncaring monotone. "I would simply shield my eyes. Get over it, I'm not going to knock, no matter what you say, what you do, or what you're wearing." The last part he said almost sarcastically, rolling an emerald green eye over his shoulder (not literally, although I knew it was possible,) to look at me pointedly.
"Ha." I smiled sardonically at him as I rolled onto my side, then pulled myself into a sitting position. "So what are you here for, now? Come to take my blood, make sure I'm still human? Oh wait! No, let me guess!! You're going to make me eat again. Threaten me until I do or some new tactic this time? Oh, I know maybe you'll do something like ask this time." I hated the person standing before me with this detached, emotionless look plastered on his face. I wanted nothing more at the moment than to force him to show an emotion. Any emotion.
But I had tried everything I knew! Harsh words did nothing. Wishing the worst possible deaths made him roll his eyes and agree. I always knew he had screw loose or two or three. What a sadist... Trying to Physically attack only hurt me. He wouldn't touch me; of course not it was his precious Aizen-sama's orders. But either way I gave myself bruises trying to slap, kick, punch, or anything else I could think of that might hurt. His skin was harder than steel...
Stupid espada. They all had that stupid armor skin.
Of course, I was still a little shocked that I had said or did those things. I mean this is me we're talking about. Although I acted how I did now, I was still Inoue Orihime. I still really didn't wish anyone death or sickness. Even Aizen, no matter how horrible he was. But especially not someone who had taken care of me; even going as far as to eat his meals with me to make sure I ate. I couldn't be that rude, not to eat with someone else. Ironic, I could cuss him out up one side and down the other, but I couldn't reject eating with him.
I didn't really hate the fourth espada. As much of a front as I put on that screamed I did hate him. He kept me sane in this Hell. I couldn't hate him, not entirely at least. I'm not sure I'll go skipping around singing 'I loved him' yet, but not 'I hate him.'
"Actually, yes. I did come to make you eat again." He told me, back turned as he unfolded a table that was usually propped in the corner of my room. "It's Yakisoba." He added casually.
I couldn't help but feel a little uplifted. I didn't normally eat Yakisoba; not for lack of loving it, but because I normally didn't have money to spare for buying ingredients. Plus, I knew that if I did get everything needed for it, it would probably end up looking, and tasting, like earthworms...
I attempted to roll my eyes. But he caught me. He always did.
"Don't even try to act like you're not pleased." He threw back to me. Not maliciously, but almost, jokingly? No, couldn't be. Not the infamous emotionally deficient fourth espada.
Shrugging in an attempt to seem relaxed I got up and pulled a chair over to where I would sit. "Yeah, okay. It smells good..."
"Thanks."
It didn't hit me until I had taken a few bites already that he said thanks because he had cooked the meal himself. My mouth nearly dropped open. I figured everyone in Las Noches, if not all of Hueco Mundo, had their meals made for them. Who knows, maybe they did, and Ulquiorra just liked to cook. My curiosity got the best of me.
"What else do you cook?" I tried to slip in nonchalantly.
He caught me again.
"Oh? Feeling up to small talk, are we?" It almost sounded as though he wanted to crack a smile. Then he quickly said, almost as if he were embarrassed, "I can't cook too much. Just a little from a variety of countries."
He had my attention. Variety of countries? So I looked up at him as best I could with my chin almost touching my plate, and asked, once I had finished my bite of course, "What countries?"
"Well, I make a mean chicken alfredo, Italian food, Yakisoba from Japan, Papayas from Spain, and a few other things here and there." He replied quietly. He was embarrassed! But why? It was so cool!
"Wow. So what else do you do that's really odd and unexpected?" I teased lightly.
He paused. "Nothing, really. But why are you so talkative tonight?"
I wasn't really sure, now that I thought about it. "hmm... I don't really know. I guess I'm just thinking that if I'm going to be stuck here being babysat by you, I might as well get along with you. But you know I could ask you the same thing."
He just looked at me. No emotion. Blank.
"You won't get along with me." Was all he said.
"But why not? Why am I so doomed not to get along with you? Because you're the 'villain?' Because you tried to, and almost succeeded in, killing all my friends?" Now I started to see his way. "You're right. I'm stupid for trying to keep an open mind." I pushed my seat back so I could walk away from him.
"Get out." Was all he heard before my bathroom door slammed closed with a loud SLAM.
-*-*-*-
I was surprised at my own temper. Really, he was validly warning me to stay away from him. I should have realized that when my friends returned to Hueco Mundo, he would attack them again. Bile rose up in my throat and I had to concentrate very hard not to see my dinner just moments after I ate it.
After my shower, I felt physically and emotionally drained. I liked showers here they hid away your emotions so easily. Ulquiorra, who normally walked in to make sure I was okay before I fell asleep, couldn't tell that I had been crying.
I always cried in the shower here. Mourning, I guess. A release of the emotions I had to hide to survive here. For myself, for Kurosaki and Kuchiki, and Sado and Ishida, and all my other shinigami friends. For my behavior here, and how I missed being my old self. For everything.
I walked out of the bathroom in my pj's, just normal, white pants and a white shirt. There was too much white here. Wasn't white supposed to represent innocence? How could such a pure color be used in such a place? And as I looked up from the floor, something on my bed caught my eye.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" I asked my appointed guardian. He was sitting on the corner of my bed. Hands folded in his lap, head hanging down. I was still angry with him, but my sobbing had me so tired I could do nothing but flop down beside him on the comforter. He turned a little so he could see my face. I just stared back.
"Umm..." He said. Oh jeez. He was always so sure of himself. It made no sense that he would second guess saying something now, especially with his personality.
"Spit it out. I'm tired." I stifled a yawn and closed me eyes.
"I apologize for upsetting you." He said very quickly. But before I could even react to his extremely rare apology, he added "I heard you crying. Are you okay?"
Shit! He caught me, once again.
"I'm fine." I replied slowly. "I just miss my friends, I guess. And it's okay. I know you're just trying to warn me."
He was still looking at me when I forced my eyes to open.
"I don't...understand." He stated. "Are you really bound to them so much? Your so called 'friends?'"
"Yes." Was all I said back.
"Hmm..." again. "Well. I don't understand that. I don't understand much about these emotion things. But they're going to lose again. And this time, we won't hesitate to kill them. Aizen has ordered us to." He looked back down at the floor as he said this.
I just closed my eyes again. Willing the tears not to fall; trying to keep them hidden inside. My question came out a hoarse whisper. "Do you want to kill them, though?"
Silence met my inquiry until I opened my eyes once more. He was looking at me again, but he didn't quite meet my eyes.
"I-...I don't want to upset you more. But if you really want me to answer you I will. I don't get any satisfaction in killing your acquaintances, save for Kurosaki. I will kill him."
I couldn't keep the tears back now, not when he swore he'd kill the man I loved. "Will you- please, will you try not to kill any of my friends? Please..." My voice broke as I sobbed at the thought of my friends dying on my behalf. This whole ordeal was my fault... If only I weren't so weak.
He stood up. "I cannot promise. But I will try not to kill anyone except Ichigo Kurosaki. As I said. I will kill him."
I just turned onto my stomach and sobbed, head turned to the side so I could suck in large gasps of air.
He sighed and his breath hit my face. Strangely minty. He had gotten up so he could walk around the bed to kneel by my side. Then I felt one of my many fallen tears be wiped away by an oddly warm, though hard as stone, thumb. When I first touched him I always thought his skin would be like ice.
"Don't mourn until the appropriate time. Our numbers will be severely decimated also. Worse than ever before." His voice dropped so low I had to force myself to stop my loud sobs to hear. "You may be able to escape with those who live." He whispered. "I cannot promise, again, but you may be able to..."
Then I felt him rise off his knee and start to walk toward the door. "Goodnight, woman. Try not to cry anymore."
Then my door closed.
I sobbed again, louder and harder than I had since coming to Hueco Mundo. I cried myself to sleep that night.
-*-*-*-
Ulquiorra Schiffer closed Inoue Orihime's door and leaned against it, listening to what should have been the most heart-wrenching sobs. He simply looked at the ceiling and thought about everything said that night. Other than Ichigo, he really didn't really want to kill anyone. He never did get a 'kick' out of murder, honestly. He was a terrifying monster, he knew that. But he didn't want to kill anyone. Well, almost anyone. He wasn't like the other espada in that respect, not like Grimmjow and Nnoitra.
He stood, leaned against his hostage's bedroom door, until she fell silent. She had cried herself to sleep.
Stupid girl, caring so much for something that's inevitable. He thought as he walked down the hallway to his own room.
That night would prove to be hard on both the captive and captor.