Chapter 2 - Lonely prisoner
~x~
Days and weeks passed by, slowly blurring into months.
However, time did not really seem to apply in this terrible, inhospitable place; it was always night outside her prison window. How long had it been since she was kidnapped? Orihime couldn't remember. One thing she did know by now, however, was that no one was going to come for her. If anyone had intended to rescue her after she had gone missing they would have come by now.
Orihime tried to ignore the sorrow that crept into her heart at this thought, but as the months went by and the chances of rescue dimmed each day, she could not help but feel hopeless. They had abandoned her. True to her nature though, Orihime tried to be positive and content herself with the fact that at least by coming here she had helped them, and that perhaps they simply did not know where she had gone. Yes, that must be it. Still, she often wondered if her friends thought of her as much as she thought of them, even after all this time.
If there was anything that threatened to tip her over the edge and cause her to sink into the despair that inevitably awaited her, it was loneliness. In all her time in Las Noches she rarely saw anyone, much less interacted with them. She was desperate for a kind word or friendly greeting. Just something, anything to make her feel a little less empty inside. Unfortunately the only time she was allowed out of her cell was when Lord Aizen desired to speak with her, which had only happened twice since her kidnapping. Oh, and the occasional times when she was required to heal the Espada. On such excursions she was told to keep her head down, be polite and respectful and do whatever was asked of her without question, which left little room for conversation. Not that Aizen or the Espada really cared what she had to say anyway.
The only person she saw with regularity was Ulquiorra, and ever since that incident awhile back she hadn't been able to face him. He had seen her succumb to despair, and Orihime felt ashamed of herself for showing her weakness. As such she had resolved to be strong whenever she saw him, even though she felt like she might fall apart at any moment. She refused to look at him, answered his questions with the bare minimum response, and obeyed every order her gave her.
Contrary to her defiance when she was first brought here, she would do as he asked now, not wanting to incite another incident where he would have to force her. Orihime was given three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ulquiorra always arrived at dinner to ensure she ate at least one of her meals. He would stand nearby and watch in silence until she finished, before leaving without a word. This was how it went without fail for many months, until one day...
~x~
Orihime dutifully swallowed the last of her rice and pushed the empty bowl away. Ulquiorra turned to leave. Throughout the meal she had kept her head bowed in dignified silence, but now she glanced up at his retreating back. She rose from the table, clasping her hands to her chest.
"U-Ulquiorra...S-sama...?" She called out tentatively. Her voice was barely a whisper, unused to speech after so much silence.
He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Though his face remained as impassive as always, a hint of surprise flickered in his empty green eyes.
"Yes?" He asked.
Orihime took a deep breath, hesitating. For the first time in months her heart pounded with nervousness. Under his piercing gaze her idea suddenly seemed foolish. She looked away, unsure whether to continue.
What am I thinking? This is silly! She thought.
Seeing her hesitation Ulquiorra continued walking. He didn't have time for her foolishness. His leaving stirred Orihime's heart. The thought of spending another night alone without someone to talk to made her panic, instantly replacing her doubt.
"W-wait! Please!"
Her feet acted of their own accord and she found herself going after him, reaching out to grasp his upper arm. He stopped and turned, staring at her in evident surprise.
"What is the meaning of this, woman?" He asked quietly, his gaze intense. He didn't sound angry, though. Just calm as usual, and perhaps intrigued.
Orihime looked up at him, desperation in her sapphire eyes. "I...I just..." She stuttered, releasing his arm and looking away, her nervousness clear. She took a shaky breath.
"C-could I...h-hold you...just for a little b-bit?" She asked.
Ulquiorra stared at her.
Orihime closed her eyes and moved close to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. She expected to be pushed away at any moment, possibly even punished for such an act. But she was past caring. She needed to hold someone, to touch someone. It didn't matter who.
Ulquiorra was cold and stiff as a stone statue, but standing here like this, embracing him, Orihime was able to pretend otherwise. In the back of her mind she wondered why he hadn't broken the contact, in the back of her mind she was completely terrified thinking he would kill her any second. But at this moment in time Orihime was simply glad of the contact. All other thoughts were ignored as she clung to her captor.
For the first time in months, Orihime smiled.
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