Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of the Bleach characters used in this fic. They all belong to Tite Kubo: the genius behind the captivating manga that started it all. I only own any of my original characters that I choose to include, as well as any of my own original plot ideas.
Remnant
Prompt: If I only had a heart...
A/N: When Ulquiorra died, I bawled my eyes out. It was such a touching scene, and I'm just sensitive that way.
"I'm... not scared..."
Her words pleased him. Despite being a Hollow, a lost soul and creature of the dark, there was no malice felt for what had been done. But, even after all this, he was empty. Questions, puzzles, haunted him even now. At the end. What was most confusing in these moments, which were clearly his last, was the girl who sat before him, nearly weeping. He couldn't understand what would prompt her to behave in such a way. In truth, emotion was very foreign to him, and such an exhibit was simply beyond his comprehension. Even so, there was a warmth, almost a light, that seemed to stirred the questions in his mind.
Was she crying for her beloved friends, the sacrifices they had made to save her? Or was it... for him?
Humans spoke so freely, easily conveying pure emotions of the heart, which was something that he had been unable to do. And now, that the end was upon him, all that was left was regret. What was it like to live under the blue sky? To love and be loved in return? To have a heart...? If, by some miraculous event, he were granted a second chance, a life and a heart, he still would have fought. Not for Aizen, but for the girl.
Even were it so, never would he be worthy to beg for her forgiveness.
Sadly, he had been blind to all that the world had to offer; blind to his own vanity; blind to the freedom that existed outside Hueco Mundo. Fooled, he had been, and turned into a puppet, trapped by Aizen's web of convincing lies. His life had been shrouded in darkness, nearly impervious to the light. And then... the humans had arrived.
Time had run out and, in an instant, the color began to fade, giving way to the seeping darkness. He felt himself slipping away, his body crumbling away to dust upon the four winds. And yet, there she was, unfazed and strong in the face of death, reaching for him. Only then did he understand.
He had been granted a heart.
Not one of his own, for it was far too late, but a place within hers. Her eyes, calm and unwavering, were conveying a clear message. Despite all the pain and trouble he'd caused, she did not fear him, and she would not forget him.
At long last, he was a lasting remnant within a loving heart.
Poor Ulqui...
