Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Summary: The home is where the heart is. That was what she told him. So where was his home? His heart?
Pairing: Ulquiorra/Orihime
La Casa del Corazón
Chapter One: La Destrucción de la Casa
Kisuke Urahara was a man of many qualities. He was wise, calm, intelligent and often playful. However even he had his few moments of seriousness. His dark eyes stared down upon the girl standing silently in his tiny shop. She twisted her foot shyly as her gaze remained glued to the floor.
"So what exactly happened?" He inquired seriously, taking note of the way she held her hand protectively over the swell of her stomach.
"I lost my temper." The young woman's voice was quiet and timid compared to her usual boisterous volume. "A customer made a comment," Her hand lightly gripped the fabric covering her abdomen, "And… well…" She paused. "I'm not exactly sure what happened but I just remember feeling angry and upset."
The blond tapped his cane against the floor lightly, "So you broke a porcelain mug over his nose?" To be honest he wasn't even angry. Surprised? Of course. Worried? Most definitely. But angry? Not at all. Violence was not in this girl's nature. So what would drive her to that point this time? The hormones could be one explanation but that still didn't seem to be quite the right fit. The action was far too aggressive even for hormones to explain.
The auburn-haired woman's face paled, "I didn't mean to! I just got so mad that I threw the thing without looking. How was I supposed to know he was right there?" His companion shot their new houseguest a worried look.
"Orihime, are you sure you're alright?" Yoruichi spoke up, her brows rising in concern.
Orihime paused, "I don't know." Her silvery gaze flickered down to her stomach, "Everything just feels so weird lately. I can't hardly sense any reiatsu anymore and when I do it's almost always too close for comfort." Her thin shoulders slumped in defeat, "I think the stress is just getting to me."
That much he could understand. Anyone who had to undergo the amount of personal turbulence she did would likely have been just as stressed as her, if not even more so. Some days he wondered where she drew her inner strength from, it was clear they all needed a little bit more of that source in their daily lives.
"I'll set up an appointment with your doctor. Try not to over work yourself though." Yoruichi brought the redhead into a warm, maternal embrace, "You've only got five more weeks to go." At that Orihime's expression glowed as her lips turned upwards into a genuine smile.
Urahara decided to lighten up the conversation, "Have you decided on what to name her?"
She nodded vigorously, "Sayuri." The smile dimmed just a tiny bit, "Inoue Sayuri." The room grew eerily quiet. The three stood at attention as the shop door slammed open and a familiar head of blue hair appeared in the threshold.
"Yo, old man! I brought it back like you asked!" Grimmjow huffed as he tossed a package towards the blond. The hollow's gaze drifted to the presence at the center of attention, "¡Princesa! ¿Cómo estás?" He had taken to speaking to her in Spanish. Even during her time in Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow had always seemed particularly keen on communicating with her in the first language he learned after becoming a hollow. Orihime subtly wondered if perhaps he and a few other espada might have been humans residing in a Spanish speaking country like Mexico or Spain before their deaths and subsequent rebirth as hollows. Many of them had unusual names that corresponded with such areas and were familiar with the language. Either way, she never dared to ask him directly.
"Estoy bien, muchas gracias. ¿Y tú?" The young woman responded in kind. Their conversations were usually brief as she was still getting accustomed to learning a new language. Surprisingly, it'd been Ulquiorra that had first begun to teach her these lessons. Although that was nearly a lifetime ago now.
As expected Grimmjow rattled off about his latest excursions between Hueco Mundo, the Seireitei and now the Living World. Although he spoke the most about his time in the Seireitei. His speech would pick up and upon seeing her confused expression, he'd switch back into Japanese for a sentence or two before transitioning into Spanish once more. It was his not so subtle way of teaching her… and she appreciated it.
"¿Dónde está el pelirrojo?" The inevitable question came up.
Where's the redhead?
Orihime's shoulders stiffened slightly. Her hand quickly left her stomach to cover the achingly bare finger upon her left hand. However fast her reflexes were, they weren't quite fast enough to prevent his azure gaze from spotting the pale ring-shaped flesh that contrasted against the rest of her finger.
"Hey, what's going on?" The hollow started, not caring that he slipped out of his native tongue. "He's supposed to be here ain't he? 'Cause he wasn't in the Seireitei. Unless…." There was a flash of rage as he fully took in the woman's features in front of him. Her swelled stomach, the missing ring and the downcast expression. The fucker left her. "That son of a bitch. After all of the shit he put us through the little shit goes and does this?!" Before any of them could stop him, the blue-haired male was gone. He stormed out of the tiny shop and tore open a garganta.
To say that he was angry was an understatement. Underneath the tanned, hierro flesh Grimmjow was absolutely seething.
It was because of that girl that he and several other hollows were alive. It was because of her they were able to form a peace treaty with the Seireitei that allowed them to exist without the threat of another war. It was also because of that shinigami that they never pursued the idea of keeping her in Hueco Mundo. Her power was something to be feared and it was also something that they desperately needed after Aizen's fall from grace.
Yet he was adamant about returning her back to her home and letting her live her life as she pleased—not as some prisoner to bloodthirsty hollows. Their new leader had originally accepted that plan despite his reservations. Now Grimmjow had the oh so wonderful task of informing their leader what exactly the shinigami did to her. This was not going to be a good meeting.
"Fuck." He cursed, his fingers twitching at his side. He really wanted to kill something right now. If Grimmjow knew one thing about their stoic leader, it was that he had a certain… interest in the woman called Orihime. There'd been rumors going around that she married the shinigami and while he never outwardly showed his displeasure, he certainly didn't seem as enthused about his meetings with the soul society as he had before. One might almost say that he was very near hostile towards them. Then again it was always hard to tell with that pale, pasty bastard. A light-colored brow twitched in irritation.
Just a simple delivery job. That was all he was supposed to do. Go to the soul society, pick up some random package that sounded oddly likely like pez dispensers being shaken around with every step he took, and then deliver it to the one called Kisuke Urahara. They'd had several dealings with the man, most of which were benign. Still Hueco Mundo as a whole was keen on keeping the ex-shinigami as an ally. Therefore occasionally if he asked them for a favor they'd do whatever they could to fulfill that wish. Now Grimmjow was really starting to regret taking this mission. All he wanted to do today was pick a fight with the strawberry kid. Damn it all. Now not only wasn't he getting his fight, he was also going to have to deliver the worst possible news other than maybe if the girl died to Ulquiorra. Great, just fucking great. Could his day get any worse?
Ulquiorra remained stoic as the new espada number three marched his way back into Las Noches. From the way his reiatsu flared, the dark-haired male surmised that perhaps things hadn't gone quite as planned. Were he a lesser being he would have pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Alas he was far beyond such human actions and waited patiently for the incoming storm. He was not taken by surprise when a foot kicked in the door to his personal quarters.
"I've got news." The third spat as he tilted his chin up, "It's about the girl. You know the one."
There was an involuntary flex in Ulquiorra's jaw.
"What news could you possibly bring that would be of importance? She's chosen her path. Let her live it." The shorter arrancar turned his back and watched as the sands whipped up into a small storm outside.
"Oh you're going to be real interested in this." Grimmjow casually threw himself upon Ulquiorra's couch and stretched his limbs across the headrest. "I delivered the package as you asked without a single fucking problem. When I arrived she was already there, but you want to know who wasn't?"
"Not particularly." Came the cool response. Was this supposed to be some sort of goad? If so he wouldn't bite. He was above such responses.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. That's fucking who." The bulky man cast a blistering glare over at his leader, "What's even better was that he wasn't even in the Seireitei either. Believe me, I tried finding his ass out there. He ain't fucking there."
Admittedly, that bit of information did peak his interest but not quite enough to fall to his subordinate's provocation. There was an arch of a dark eyebrow but not much else.
The third threw his head back as his teeth gnashed together, "Even better yet, the chick, the one you're so fucking hung up on, yeah she's fucking pregnant. Looks ready to pop any fucking day now." There was a slow leak of reiatsu coming from the shorter man. "And no ring on her finger. Looked like she wore one for a while but it's gone now. He's gone and she's fucking pregnant."
"Grimmjow," There was a warning in that deceptively calm tone, "What are you getting at?" Despite all appearances the third wasn't a complete fool. He knew better than to try to use his former prisoner as a means to egg a response out of him. Something was happening within the Living World but what Ulquiorra wasn't exactly sure yet.
The other man gave an irritable huff, "What I'm saying is that Kurosaki married the broad, promptly knocked her ass up and then fucking took off. That's what I'm saying. You get the picture yet?" The hands in his pockets turned into white-knuckled fists. Black and white painted lips thinned into a deep line.
"Are you sure?"
Grimmjow nodded, "Pretty fucking sure. You should've seen her face." The arrancar's expression suddenly turned dark. "You said to let her live her life out there but you really going to just keep sitting back here and waiting? You just going to watch as she goes through that alone?"
Ulquiorra turned his back. The lines of his coattails fluttered behind him as he walked silently out of his quarters and into the blinding hallway of Las Noches. This would not do. He had so many questions and currently there was only one person who could answer them. The arrancar lifted a pale hand from his pocket and snapped his middle finger and thumb together. Instantaneously a woman appeared before him.
"What can I do for you?" She asked cheerfully as her teal-colored hair bounced around her shoulders.
"Return to the Living World and attend to the woman's needs." Emerald eyes narrowed, "Do not leave her side until I command you to do so. Understood?"
Nel flashed a peace sign over her eye, "Aye aye sir!" Even in her adult body she still retained the youthful optimism from her child form. It was always a strange sight to see her switch from innocent woman to terrifying hollow when provoked. She would be exactly what the woman needed for the moment.
Satisfied with this decision, Ulquiorra dismissed her with a wave of his hand. It was then that he turned to his thoughts. Kurosaki Ichigo was not in the Seireitei nor was he with the woman? So where did that leave? There hadn't been any unusual disturbances within Hueco Mundo which meant that the shinigami must've been hiding out somewhere in the Living World. But where exactly? As much as he tried to think about it, the new primera espada could not come up with a valid conclusion as to where the unpredictable man might have gone.
As far as he knew, the man didn't have any connections outside of his close relations and friends. There wasn't a country outside Japan where he could hide. So who was he with? The notion bothered him to a minor degree.
The maw of a garganta opened in front of him. Regardless, he knew that there was only one place he could retrieve the answers he sought. His brows furrowed just the slightest bit. The only question now was whether that person would be willing to oblige his inquiries.
Matsumoto smirked as Hitsugaya scowled. Icy blue eyes turned into daggers as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"What makes you think we'd know where he's at? You'd be better off asking Kurosaki-san." The white-haired boy answered curtly. His lieutenant's smirk dropped ever so slightly.
"Well, that's not exactly true. I just talked to Orihime the other day." Blonde hair fell over her shoulder as she turned her head to face her captain, "She apparently hadn't seen him since she announced her pregnancy. Besides, she's already changed her name back to Inoue. I'm not sure if Kurosaki's fully signed the papers though." She placed an index finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Last I heard she was having a hard enough time finding him to fill out the paperwork to end their marriage."
A white hand flexed inconspicuously in Ulquiorra's pocket.
"You'd be better off asking Rukia. If anyone can sniff him out, it'd be her." The woman trailed off as she noticed the sharpening of their guest's gaze.
"Understood. I appreciate your help." The dark haired man stated coolly as he left, his trailing coattails fluttering behind him as he made his exit.
It was only a matter of seconds after his reiatsu faded away that the blonde let out a low whistle.
"He's got it bad."
Her captain did not acknowledge her statement other than a slight quirk of his silver brows.
"You think he'll actually kill Kurosaki this time?" Matsumoto pondered quietly.
"I don't know." Hitsugaya answered truthfully.
Rukia knew better than to gape. Still, she had a hard time controlling her expression at the sight before her.
"Do you know of Kurosaki's whereabouts?" The cool voice implored in a mildly disinterested tone.
Violet eyes stared at her 'guest' in shock. It took her only a couple of seconds to fully comprehend what he had asked.
"Sure, last I checked Orihime was in…." She was quickly cut off.
Emerald eyes narrowed dangerously, "Not the woman. Kurosaki. Where is he?" The voice dropped in a low and threatening tone. Rukia scratched the back of her head.
"I'm not exactly sure I know what you mean. Last I heard they were living together. Ichigo even mentioned that she was pregnant a few… months… ago…." The dark haired shinigami stopped as realization hit her. "Wait, he's not with her!? Where's he at? Why did he leave? What about Orihime! Is she alright?"
Ulquiorra fought the intense urge to sigh. He was not human therefore he would do so such action, no matter how peeved he might have been.
Quickly he turned on the base of his heel, "It seems that you were also unaware of his…departure." There words were spat with a minute amount of venom. "Do not worry about the woman. She is being well cared for."
A hand on his arm stopped the arrancar from retreating further.
"What do you plan on doing?"
Ulquiorra swiftly knocked his arm away from her, "That is none of your concern." With that, he was gone. Leaving a confused and worried Rukia in his wake.
She knew that something was wrong. Ichigo wasn't the kind of man to just up and abandon his pregnant wife. So where was he? Why did he leave? Most of all, what in the hell was he thinking? She sighed. This was going to become the bane of her existence. She could just feel it in her bones.
Sighing, she hissed out the words, "Damn you, Ichigo." It was meant to be scathing, but came out soft and demure. The conviction was no longer there.
"So that's the gist of it!" Nelliel smiled as she flashed a perky grin over at her new charge. Orihime blinked in surprise.
"But I can't…" Her words fell on deaf ears. The teal-haired woman wrapped her arms around the other woman's shoulders as she gave her an engulfing hug.
"Hush, none of that now! Just show me where you're staying. I won't make a nuisance of myself, I promise!"
There was a tenseness that filled the air as Orihime glanced over at the shopkeeper. Urahara tipped his hat as he narrowed his gaze at the newcomer. He figured that the arrancar would take swift action however he hadn't expected them to move quite this quickly. It'd barely been an hour since Grimmjow had stormed out of the shop. The new primera espada was quite swift when it came to matters such as these.
Urahara's dark gaze shifted between his house guest being pressed uncomfortably close to the new second espada and Yoruichi. The two shared a knowing look.
"My apologies, Nelliel was it?" The blond took the time to inquire. Seeing her vigorous nod, he continued. "But as it stands Inoue-san is staying here.
There was a flash in the arrancar's gaze. Confusion and quite possibly anger. Despite the innocent nature she wore, he could sense the volatile creature that beneath the visage. Perhaps that was why Ulquiorra sent her to do his bidding? Regardless the situation was quickly starting to steer out of control. He needed to put everything back on track before it completely derailed.
"She cannot give permission for you to stay," The thin arms around the auburn-haired woman tightened. "However, I can. If you are here solely for Inoue-san's best interest then I shall permit you to stay here." He tipped his finger at the bridge of his hat and pushed it upwards. "But there will be a few conditions."
The teal-haired woman shot him a defiant glare. "Name your requirements." Her voice grew low and serious, causing Orihime to glance over at her in concern.
"First things first. You'll need a gigai." Light colored brows shot up into matching hair. "Secondly, you will see to it that all of Inoue-san's needs are met in regards to the birth. You will escort her to and from all appointments and ensure that she arrives to her destination safely." There was a quick, affirmative nod.
"And the last part," He felt the edge of his lips tilting into a somewhat demented smirk. "You will earn your keep here by working part time in the shop." Hazel eyes widened.
"You…" She pointed an accusatory finger at him, "You just want free labor don't you! You jerk!"
Yoruichi did not deny the espada's accusation. It was partially true. After having spent so much time with him, she could read Urahara like an open book. One part was having the spare labor to watch the shop. The other part, the greater one, wanted to observe first hand what was going to happen in the next five weeks. The golden-eyed woman casually took a sip of her sake. For once, she was just as curious as he was and she wasn't sure if she wanted the answers that they would receive.
The rest of the night saw them making preparations for their new housemate. By morning, Yoruichi thought, they would need to rework who slept where. As the night wore on the young woman found her back pressed against the wall of the living room as Nelliel started kicking her stomach to make as much room for herself as possible. A violet brow twitched. Not enough room, indeed.
A/n: So this was just a little idea that'd been bugging me for a while. Figured I'd go ahead and give it ago. Though it still feels a bit choppy to me. I might go back later and add in a few more details. It's been a while since I've used my Spanish skills (two years to be exact) though I was pretty skilled at it for a while. So if you see any mistakes in grammar or spelling just let me know. I actually love learning new languages and Spanish is one of the first I tried to learn outside of my first language (English). I hope you all enjoyed it and yes, I'm still working on Ghost however I'm being ultra picky about events and wordings in that one. I've been going through so many Ulquiorra/Orihime fics lately that I've picked up on a few tropes and overused ideas and I'm trying to go away from that altogether. Anyways, thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think!