"Onii-chan, breakfast is ready!"
"Yes, I am coming."
Both sat enjoying their breakfast
"Could you pass me the red bean paste?"
She passed it to him but not before putting some on her food.
"You know, onii-chan, I think that red bean paste is a trade mark of the Inoues"
He smiled and replied "Yes, other people think our taste is weird but it's delicious!" He said in an Orihime like way but less energetic.
"They don't know what they are missing" She replied in a very energetic manner.
"Exactly" He smiled at her but then his expression became more serious "Have you been adapting well?"
She was less energetic now "Yes, I am getting used to it and it's not that bad."
"Orihime, you always hid things from me out of concern. You're my little sister and I hate when you are bothered by yourself. You are not alone.. not anymore."
She looked a bit surprised and said "So you knew?"
He gave her a small smile "Of course, I am the one who raised you."
She was quiet for a while before she confessed "I have some friends here already. I will just have to wait to see my friends. They will come here much later I hope" She gave him a small reassuring smile.
"I also wished that you would come much later.." He casted his eyes down as he said that.
Her eyes were brimming with tears as she hugged him "I have missed you so much onii-chan. It was horrible without you. I am happy that I have reunited with you."
He hugged her back and said "Though that's what I wished, I couldn't help but being happy to be together again."
A few tears escaped her eyes before she said "We should get going!"
He asked her with evident concern "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am fine. Thank you onii-chan."
"For what?" He looked with warm eyes at her.
"For everything" She hugged again him before each went to their own ways.
She was glad that with the talk with her brother a few days ago. She felt lighter since she didn't speak with anyone since she came two month ago.. and she really missed talking like that with him. She would decide on being a shinigami or not later, she wanted to spend more time with her brother.
She decided to work in order to help her brother, she wasn't that small girl anymore. She's 19 now.
She was immersed in thought when she saw black hair and a very familiar back walking in front of her.. a back she would be able to identify anywhere since it was always what she saw back there. She walked faster and caught up with him
"Ulquiorra?"
"People come here to buy books not to hang around."
"I like reading to you know." She countered back with a smile.
His eyes left the book he was reading to look at her "Then why are you not buying any?"
"I-I am looking around!" She said a bit flustered
"Of course" he said mockingly.
"You're mocking me?" She seemed shocked. He was afraid that he had offended her.
"Hahahaha, I never thought I would see that." She said while laughing happily
Happiness was Contagious. He found himself smiling with her.
"And you're smiling!" She said with a big smile on her face.
He put his nose back in the book and told her before she teased him again "Woman, Don't you have a job to return to?"
"Oh, Yes I totally forgot! I must be going now!"
He watched her as she walked away. He didn't think he would get caught as she turned to wave at him before leaving.
She always will be a mystery for him. He saw her before she approached him but he never had the courage to approach her. Their past wasn't a pleasant one.. he doubted that she would like to be reminded of it. He assumed that she was here visiting but he saw here a couple of times later. She was an ally of soul society and he didn't like to the idea of her death so he dismissed the possibility.
He never thought that she would approach him... That she would be happy to see him again... That she would be relieved that his death as a hollow wasn't the end.
Honestly, he was both happy and relieved too. Most people would avoid him if they were in her place, that would be the logical thing to do but again she was anything but logical. He was grateful for that.
Since their first meeting in this world, he had the courage to approach her, he even visited the bakery where she worked and found it to be delicious. She also would visit the bookshop where he worked. Her visit right now wasn't the first, she came before and bought a book once in her many visits.
She was happy to have gained a new friend. It made life here better and that friend being Ulquiorra made her happy. She was happy he got a second chance. Life is not fair but not always.
It became rather a habit to walk home together. She had brought some leftovers which they were eating. He was awkwardly silent today. She wanted to find out what's wrong but then again the former espada seemed the type to mind his own business and to expect that from the others. But she decided to take the risk..
"Ulquiorra.. are you alright?" She asked with evident concern.
He looked at her "Why wouldn't I?"
It was a question rather than offense. She knew him well enough to know that.
"It's just that your too silent more than usual today." He stopped walking then. He seemed conflicted about bringing this subject but It was her who brought it up from the very beginning.
"I am thinking.." he stated
She looked at him with more concern "I can hear you if you want."
He was looking at her silently for a few seconds "Humans speak of the heart as if it is in the palm of their hands.." She seemed to remember that he said these words before. "When you reached to me in my last moments.. your heart was in the palm of your hand, wasn't it?"
She took sometime to react. She smiled at him "Yes, it was."
"I realized that seconds before my death. It would seem kind of a happy ending that I found peace at my last moments.." He paused but before he could continue he was interrupted.
"Your death would be never be a happy ending.. I always regretted that I couldn't do anything to stop that battle." she said with a look of sorrow in her eyes. Then her expression turned into a warm one "I was happy to see that you got a second chance."
"I always wondered why did you approach me.. to be honest, I have seen you before but I thought you wouldn't like to see me." He said with a hint if happiness on his face and in his voice.
"Well I proved you wrong!" She said proudly
"Yes, you're strange indeed." he said while looking at her warmly
She knew he meant it in a good way so she said something else "I am happy that you found the heart."
"It's a yes and a no." He felt triumphed a bit as he for once had made her confused as she always made him.
"I mean that though I found the notion of the heart in general, I am not sure about my own heart."
"Mmm" She put her finger on her shin and said "I don't think that there is someone who knows their own heart completely.. It comes by time and experience. If I hadn't have my brother nor my friends I doubt that I would have known what is the heart. At least I would have had a different perspective."
"It's something you have to do it on your own. Since you were a hollow before, you don't have much experience." She paused and turned her warm gaze to him "You will find different pieces of yours little by little through your life and I will be there for you but I won't be able to do much since it is self dependent."
He just give her a silent look thinking about what she just said.
"But at least you know it exists!" She said trying to be cheerful.
"Yes." He thought about the relief he felt and the relative peace he knew when he found about the heart. It was like a thirsty man with no water in the desert. He believed that one of the reasons that his life ended as a hollow was that the core of his being was destroyed by discovering the heart, he was no longer fit to be a hollow.
"Woman" She was extra-focused as an effect of such a conversation and she was listening to his troubles sincerely. What a intriguing puzzle she is.
"Yes"
"Don't belittle yourself, you have done enough already. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found the heart to begin with."
'So she's the type who isn't good at handling compliments.' He really enjoyed seeing her flushed face.
"Orihime-chan"
She was walking back home when she found herself attacked by what is supposed to be a hug. She was surprised that it took her a few seconds to register.
"Rangiku-san!" She hugged back excitedly.
"How have you been doing here Orihime-chan?" She asked after they both left each other's embrace.
"Very good actually." She said with a genuine smile.
The shinigami was relieved she though that she will find the recently dead girl good dispirited a the newly deceased usually were. She was a lot better than last time.
"Woman" a voice came from behind them.
"Oh, Ulquiorra, have you been waiting long?" She asked because she was supposed to meet him but she was late so he came to fitch her.
"I will go home if you are busy."
"No, we will go together Rangiku is coming home with me" Truthfully, she didn't want him to go home. It was such a tiring day and she longed to spend some time with him.
"You're the former fourth espada?" Rangiku asked. She was surprised then she gradually became terribly amused. It scared Orihime.
"Yes. and you are?"
"Matsumoto Rangiku, The vice captain of the 10th division." He seemed to recognize her but didn't say anything.
"Shall we head back?" He asked as he started walking before them.
Rangiku leaned on Orihime as they started walking and said in what supposed to be a whisper "So that's why you are doing very good." The orange haired averted her eyes and blushed. Then the vice president smiled mischievously and asked with a louder voice "Are you two dating?"
Orihime turned redder than before and Ulquiorra stiffened and stopped moving for a second.
"Rangiku-saaan" Orihime said covering her face in embarrassment "We're not!"
"Oh, really?" she said in a semi faked disappointment.
"Yo, Ulquiorra" Said a familiar voice she couldn't recognize "We gonna drink, coming?"
It was Grimmjow along side with Stark.. She was surprised to see them.
"Is your face red? Did you drink already?"
"Shut up Grimmjow" said Ulquiorra trying to cover up his embarrassment.
"What?! is that what I get fo.."
"The Human girl, I have been wondering where have I seen you before." Stark interrupted Grimmjow with a bit energetic tone to his lazy voice.
"Yes, it's her with a shinigami." Grimmjow turned his attention from The black haired male.
"H-hello" Orihime greeted them making her blush subdued a bit.
"Wanna drink with us?" Stark offered much to Orihime's surprise.
"I am stil.."
"No, She's going home with me, we have a lot to talk about to." Rangiku interrupted with very amused look that made Orihime turn redder.
"Let's go." Said Ulquiorra while he was passing through the small crowd.
Their eyes met. Though it was faint, his face was blushing.
"See you later, Ulquiorra." She said hurriedly as she didn't want things to become awkward between them.
"Same to you woman" He said before leaving with the other two.
It seemed that she wasn't the only one was going to be questioned tonight, Grimmjow was loud enough for her to hear.
It had been a while since that night. It wasn't awkward between them as both of them thought it would be.. Thank God. Nothing had really changed but their relationship had been slowly progressing. They had their own pace. She wanted to confess at the right time and to give Ulquiorra more time to adjust with the idea of the heart and to be comfortable around her. Honestly she was afraid too but she would take the risk at some point.
But Right now she needed to inquire something very important out of him. "Ulquiorra, do you like read bean paste?"
He was a bit surprised by the question that came out of the blue but he answered anyway "If it's red bean paste buns, I can eat it."
"What? Just that? Don't you like putting it on your food and other meals along with wasabi?" She knew that he ate the leftovers she got from her job but she didn't know if he really liked it or not. She had hoped for more.
He looked at her skeptically "Woman, why would I want to poison myself?"
"But they are very delicious together!" She seemed offended and disappointed.
"You eat such things?" He asked in denial, He knew that she loved red bean paste, He saw here get read bean paste flavoured pastry from her bakery but he never imagined it to be that extreme. "Even your food taste is strange." He said in somewhat a teasing manner.
"Is being strange bad?" She was a bit worried that she turned him off. She just wished that they would share the same tastes but finding someone that shared the tastes is nearly impossible put aside a lover.
"Just your food taste is." She was pouting and he was enjoying himself.
Unfortunately, The easiest route to man's heart is his stomach approach won't be a useful.
The past always bugged. He used to put it behind his back since there was no use from thinking about it. He always regretted how he treated her. She challenged his whole existence and he was willing to take that challenge to prove himself but in the end, she won a challenge she didn't even know about. It's been bugging him recently and the more he spent time with her the more he regretted it. He knew that she forgave but he wanted to apologize
As a hollow he followed his instinct. He was infatuated by her. He wanted her and refused to give her up even after Lord Aizen's dismissed her. It was no longer duty and the fight with Kurosaki was uncalled for. He was illogically possessive of her. He also feared her and wanted her to submit to his beliefs. She angered him, she spoke so easily of the heart that he could never find.
After coming to soul society, He thought about everything and how contradicted he was. He assumed himself to be logical while he wasn't. He denied the heart but still he desperately wanted to find it. Definitely, this life is better than a hollow, he has some piece of mind and there is no unsatisfied hunger. One is more logical when he isn't controlled by his instincts. And there was a place for the heart in this life, he didn't know where exactly but it was there. He had associated her with the heart so whenever he would think about the matter he would remember her. He never thought that he would get to meet her again and that they would be close.
He knew well that what he thought of her was unhealthy. Now it was different, he still wanted her and had bits of possessiveness but these were normal feelings arising from his fondness of her. The more time he spent with her the more fond he became. It seems this was what people call love. This love seems to come from the heart. How ironic he was just questioning the existence of his heart.
Maybe she was right.. again. He was able to explore bits and pieces of the heart through experience. In his not so typical friendship with Grimmjow and Stark. The woman... The kind old neighbor that he discovered later to be the small captain's grandmother. His boss. He even started to notice it in the interaction between people. Observing people and their behaviour was really interesting, it led him to read books of social sciences.
He is still a pessimist. He believes that life is unfair but that doesn't deny it having a happier side.
It was her day off so she came to loiter around. It was funny how people came to a place where it wasn't made to hang out. Grimmjow would come here sometimes. He was very loud and annoying. He didn't mind Stark much since he would come to sleep since the place was quiet.
He was lost in thought and it occurred to him that he could do it now.
"Woman,"
She turned to look at him knowing something was off from his voice. "Yes"
I have been wanting to apologize to you for a while.. For everything I did."
Her eyes widened for a moment Then she said "So that's what have been bothering you for a while!" She looked relieved
"You noticed?" He thought he that he covered himself well with layers under layers but she has always managed to reach him that made him happy.. his heart was fluttering.
"Ah, yes.. Lately you would space out that I started to think that I have rubbed it off on you but you looked like you're thinking about something important. I decided that I would give you your space and wait."
He looked at her with a bit happy expression "You know me better than I thought." He didn't like having himself exposed like that to anyone, being able to read you like a book but it's her, it's fine.
"I take pride in my ability to read people well specially you." She said with a smile and a happy blushing face
"You know that I already forgave you a long time ago" Then She turned her head and said "But I am not apologizing for slapping you"
He had a little smile and looked amused at her "I deserved that"
She turned to look at him amused and said "Yes, You did."
"I still believe what your friends did was illogical.." He paused to tease her for a bit. She seemed disappointed before he continued "But if anything were to happen now, I would do the same for you"
He enjoyed seeing her facial expression change from disappointment to embarrassed happiness. He didn't know why there was hope in her eyes. She took a few steps to his disk.
"Ulquiorra, Do you remember what Rangiku-san said before?" She was blushing that it almost made him blush.
"Yes." He knew what she talked about. He wasn't sure what to think.
"I-I would be happy if it became real." She was as red as a tomato right now.
He stared at her and had a faint blush too.. He was happy. He stood up from his disk, went to her and took her hand and put it on right side of his face and said after kissing it "Me too."
She was.. crying? Isn't she supposed to be happy?
Ah, he remembered the so called tears of happiness so at least she wasn't sad but still..
He was wiping her tears with his hands "Orihime?"
She cried even more after he said that. He was at loss.
A/N: This was such a long fic. I never wrote something that long before. I am not much of a writer so I hope it was good.
The relation between Grimmjow and Ulquiorra would be a bickering one but still they are good friends and their relationship got better since then. I like having those two as friends and I also like Stark.
Also If You have a better suggestion for the Title please tell me.