A/N:Wow, thank you all for your feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. Anyways, just letting you know this is an IchiHime fic so of course I can't suddenly change the pairing (especially since the next two chapters are already done).

But, if enough people would like to read an UlquiHime fic, I'd be more than happy to write one(: I'll be honest, if it wasn't for the fact that I love Ichigo, I'd be pro-Ulquiorra all the way. That is why I picked him as Orihime's fiancé. So expect sprinkles of UlquiHime in here. Also, I'll explain how Hime and Ulqu met in the next chapter.

Also, as a reminder: the rating will eventually go up, so, er, yeah . . .

Prompt: jealousy

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.


where she went

jealousy

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At Aizen's arrival, each guest took a seat at the long mahogany table. Some words were said between Urahara and Aizen and they shook hands. Although they treated the other with proper respect, neither behaved informally.

An automatic division occurred as everyone settled down. On one side of the table were Urahaha's associates and the other Aizen's. Ichigo watched with clenched fists as a raven haired man familiarly assisted a ginger haired woman into her seat.

Ichigo couldn't keep his eyes off Orihime. He was aware he was putting himself through unnecessary torture but he couldn't stop, she was simply too lovely to ignore. It wasn't fair for someone to be so breathtaking without a shred of depravity.

But looking at Orihime killed him. Every second he did, Ichigo felt a sharp pain in his chest. A razor blade of resentment would rip him to shreds each time the diamond ring on Orihime's finger would twinkle and he realized the person to her right had claimed her as his own.

Ulquiorra Schiffer.

Ichigo had never hated a person so strongly in his life. He couldn't comprehend how someone made of ice was able to capture the heart of such a warm woman.

A sharp elbow jabbed itself into Ichigo's rib. "Pay attention, will you?"

"The fuck?" he hissed at Shinji.

The blonde leaned back in his chair indifferently. "Stop staring at that hottie. She's a married woman."

A tick formed on Ichigo's temple. Shinji never failed to get under his skin in a matter of seconds. "She's engaged."

"Same shit," said Shinji with a dismissing wave of the hand.

Ichigo glowered. "But it's not."

"Oh, really?" challenged Shinji. "How so?"

"She's not his wife. They're not tied by marriage yet."

Shinji grinned wickedly. "So what you're saying is that despite the fact she's promised herself to that man, you're still going to try to get into her pants?"

Blood rushed up Ichigo's neck in both anger and embarrassment. He spluttered for second and swore. "I never said anything about getting into her pants."

Rolling his eyes, Shinji said, "You're gawking at her like a piece of meat. I think you've established your desire to sleep with her."

"You son of a—"

Someone cleared their throat from the head of the table. A man standing with dark blue hair and glasses stood beside a diagram, glaring in disapproval. "Are you two done?" he chided.

"Yes, yes, Ishida," amended Shinji sardonically. "Please, continue with your riveting presentation on our stock market."

Ichigo coughed in order to cover up his laughter. From underneath the table, a tiny foot kicked his shin. What the hell is up with everyone hitting me?

"Behave," reprimanded Rukia.

Resisting the impulse to make a rude hand gesture, Ichigo composed himself. He would not look like an idiot or an ass in front of Orihime. He took a deep breath and attempted to hear what Ishida was lecturing about.

There was a subdued giggle that reminded Ichigo of bells. Jaw locked, Ichigo watched Ulquiorra lean forward and whisper something else into Orihime's ear.

Shinji spoke from the corner of his mouth, pretending to pay attention to Ishida. "You're a real dog, Ichigo."

Ichigo did not disagree. His blood was boiling but then it stilled; Orihime peeked at Ichigo, a strange look in her eyes.

He found his resolve in her stare. "It's a dog eat dog world, Shinji."

Shinji glanced at Ulquiorra. "Be careful. I doubt his bark is worse than his bite."

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:

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After an hour of debate, the meeting ended with few compromises. The main concern was making sure each company was gaining some sort of profit instead of just one. It had led up to a heated argument between Toshiro and Gin, both companies' Chief Financial Officers. In the end, agreements were made to alter certain contracts.

Relieved to be done, Rukia rubbed her temples soothingly. "I'm glad that's over."

"Yeah," agreed Renji. "It's so aggravating just listening to them talk. I'd rather see something get done."

Rukia stood up, smoothing the wrinkles on her skirt. On her other side was Byakuya, chatting away with Soi Fon. Curious, Rukia looked over to Orihime and Ulquiorra.

Mouth formed into a tight line, Rukia surveyed the couple; Ulquiorra had a possessive arm wrapped around Orihime's waist and Orihime stayed close to the man. It did not surprise Rukia that Ulquiorra's callous expression faltered when Orihime smiled at him. Rukia was envious of how Orihime could brighten up a person's mood.

Part of Rukia was happy that Orihime had found someone new to cherish but the other part of her secretly wished Orihime still harbored feelings for Ichigo. She had been rooting for Orihime during high school and became frustrated with Ichigo's thick headedness.

It was blow to Rukia when Orihime had disappeared without a word. Of course, that was when she realized that Ichigo did in fact love Orihime. It only took Orihime leaving for Ichigo to recognize this.

"Hey."

Rukia turned to Renji. "What?"

Renji nodded towards Orihime who was leaning into Ulquiorra to hear something he said. "Who is she?"

"A friend of mine," answered Rukia. "I met her the year I attended public school."

"So why did you try stopping Ichigo from talking to her?"

"Because," said Rukia, searching the room for a tall carrot top, "he loves her and I knew she was engaged."

Renji stayed quiet for moment. "That's not gonna stop him, you know."

Rukia got on her tiptoes, craning her head. "What do you mean?"

"Ichigo's the type of person who'll take what he wants. And if he wants her then he's going to stop at nothing to get her."

Rukia found Ichigo in the midst of the crowd with Shinji. He was watching Orihime intensely, determination set in his gaze. She saw fierceness within him that she thought he had lost.

"You're right, Renji."

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Orihime was having difficulty breathing. Her face felt warmer than usual and she feared her knees would give out at any second. The only thing keeping her upright was Ulquiorra's strong arm around her.

Lips brushed against her ear. "Are you okay, Hime?"

Orihime swayed on her feet. "I guess I'm a bit overwhelmed . . ."

Ulquiorra brought her against his hipbone. "Of what?"

"U-Umm, w-well," stammered Orihime, raking her braining. "I'm nervous since I don't want to make a bad first impression. I don't want to disappoint or humiliate Ulquiorra."

"You shouldn't worry," assured Ulquiorra. "Everyone will love you."

Amber eyes came to mind when Orihime shook her head. "Not everyone."

"Hold still," said Ulquiorra before reaching over to adjust a button that was coming undone on her blouse. Delicately, long fingers brushed against Orihime's chest. A playful smirk tugged Ulquiorra's lips. "Your heart's racing."

Orihime flushed pink, her toes curling. "I-It's your fault."

"I know," murmured Ulquiorra smugly.

His emerald eyes ravaged Orihime's face. It used to startle her whenever he did that for dread that he might see right through her façade and find out how ugly she was inside. But he had seen her at her worst and loved her anyways. Somehow, Ulquiorra managed to piece Orihime back together and she was forever grateful.

"Orihime?"

Orihime noticed a petite figure, followed by a much larger one. "R-Rukia!"

Both Renji and Ulquiorra watched as the two women embraced each other. Of course, Rukia was soon suffocated by Orihime's large chest. "I can't breathe, Orihime."

"Oh!" Bashfully, Orihime pulled back. "I'm so sorry!"

Rukia smiled softly. "Don't worry about it."

Orihime beamed at Rukia. "It's so good to see you."

"Same here." Rukia turned to Ulquiorra. "Is this your lucky fiancé?"

Orihime scooted closer to Ulquiorra, their hands taking each other simultaneously. "Yes," she chirped. "This is Ulquiorra."

Ulquiorra politely gave Rukia a handshake with his free hand. "Nice to meet you."

Renji squirmed uncomfortably under Orihime's appraisal. Unlike the many people he had encountered, she didn't seem anxious by his daunting appearance. Instead, she appeared to be interested.

Orihime tilted her head to the side and said vibrantly, "Ne, are you Rukia-chan's boyfriend?"

Renji turned scarlet, a color that matched his hair. Frantically, he tried to form a coherent sentence. "Er—no—"

"We're just friends," corrected Rukia hastily, her own face red. She determinedly avoided looking Renji in the eye.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" said Orihime, hurriedly. "I jumped to conclusions, didn't I?"

"It's okay," said Rukia. "This is Renji. Renji, this is Orihime."

Orihime blinded Renji with her bright smile that outdid the sun. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Renji."

Dazed, Renji blinked. "Likewise."

Rukia stared at Orihime's engagement ring, feeling a bittersweet sensation in her stomach. Whenever she pictured Orihime as a bride to be, Ichigo was who she'd be marrying. "I heard about your wedding announcement. Do you have a date set?"

"Not yet," said Orihime. "The wedding planner we want has a waiting list. But we were thinking of having it in mid August."

"The sooner, the better," said Ulquiorra, squeezing Orihime's hand. The gesture was caring, making it hard for Rukia it detest him.

Orihime nodded. "You'll come to our wedding, right Rukia?"

Self-consciously, Rukia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She felt Renji watching her reaction carefully. Hesitantly, she said, "I'd love to."

The best lies were told with fingers tied.

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:

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Four days after graduation, Orihime offered her heart to an orange haired boy who had an endearing scowl plastered on his face. For the occasion, Orihime wore a floral dress that she bought while shopping with Tatsuki. She had prepared herself by saying a three worded phrase over and over.

After collecting her courage and confessing her feelings, Orihime received rejection. It made her sick and fall apart. Nothing was worse than disappointment.

Before Orihime could lose herself, she fled the park. Once out of view, Orihime allowed her tears to run down her face. She hurried to her apartment and took refuge in her bed. Buried in sheets that smelled of detergent, Orihime found comfort.

Her crying felt irrepressible but it was liberating in a sense. All the emotions she had trapped inside were set free. She set herself free so heart wouldn't feel heavy anymore. It took a while but Orihime managed to stop crying into her pillow.

Tired, Orihime trudged into her bathroom and faced her reflection. She took in her weepy eyes, pale complexion and limp hair. No matter how much she wished to be thin, dark haired and yellow eyed it would not do her any good. She was Orihime, not Senna.

She found it funny that so many people complimented her but she wouldn't believe she was beautiful unless she heard it from him.

That spring, she learned to love herself for a change.

:

Tatsuki stared at her best friend sitting on the other end of the couch. On the coffee table was a box of pizza, soda, chips and wasabi. "Are you sure you want to do this, Orihime?"

"Yes, I think I have to."

Tatsuki frowned. "Running from him won't solve your problems."

Orihime grabbed another slice of pizza. "I'm not running, not really. I just think it might not be such a bad idea to put my heart on the shelf for a little bit . . ." She dipped the edge of the pizza into wasabi and took a bite. "It could use some time to rest and honestly, I'm tired, too."

Tatsuki scrutinized Orihime, trying to find any detections of depression. Strangely enough, her best friend didn't sound sad. In fact, Orihime sounded hopeful.

"I just don't want to hurt anymore," Orihime went on. "I'm afraid one more crack will shatter my heart beyond repair. So I'm going to take a break and gather my strength."

Tatsuki felt a painful lump form in her throat. "I'm going to really miss you."

"Me too." Orihime's smile was sad. "But this will be good for the both of us. Now you can go to school wherever you want without worrying about me."

Ruefully, Tatsuki glanced at the backed bags and suitcases piled by the front door. It would be weird not having Orihime around to talk to or laugh with. Although Tatsuki protected Orihime like an older sister, she relied on Orihime as well.

"Just remember," said Tatsuki, crocodile tears brimming the edge of her eyes, "I'm always here."

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"You knew she was getting married, didn't you?" accused Ichigo, his eyes narrowed. He felt betrayed by the person he considered a friend.

Rukia didn't waver. Haughtily, she returned Ichigo's glare with a cool and steady expression. "Yes, I did."

"So you would've kept quiet?"

"If she wanted you to know, she would've told you," said Rukia, nodding in acknowledgement to passing representatives. "Besides, just look at them. He makes her happy."

The grip on Ichigo's water bottle became dangerous. "And I can't?"

"Well, you are the reason why she left."

It was a low blow but Rukia was sure she got her point across.

:

From afar, Ichigo was forced to watch Ulquiorra pull Orihime aside. He gave her a thorough kiss, allowing his hands to roam up and down her torso. Pulling back, Ulquiorra gently caressed Orihime's face with the back of his hand.

The pair exchanged a few words before Ulquiorra stole another chaste kiss. For a moment, Orihime stared longingly at Ulquiorra's retreating. Then she turned on her heels and headed out the door.

It alarmed Ichigo how easy it was for her to leave without saying goodbye.

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The first time Ichigo met Orihime, it rained. He was eight years old and grieving over the loss of his beloved mother, Masaki Kurosaki. It happened on her three year death anniversary when Ichigo spent his entire day by the riverbank.

With the rain as a disguise, Ichigo could permit himself to shed a few tears. Losing a loved one was almost too much to bear. Time had not healed his scars, it only numbed them.

Crouched beside the riverbank, Ichigo spotted bright hair crossing the bridge. His heart had begun thundering and he wondered if he was going to see his mother one more time. Ichigo stood up and sprinted after the mysterious figure.

It turned out that Ichigo had been wrong. As he reached the bridge, he realized the stranger was not his mother but instead a young girl with similarly colored hair. Her eyes were peculiarly large and she had ridiculously long hair. In one hand she held up and umbrella to shield herself from the rain and in the other was a grocery bag.

Ichigo recognized her as Orihime Inoue, the new girl at his school. Many of the boys were secretly harboring crushes on her—himself included. He had concluded that she was a strange girl; she liked eating wasabi and tended to mumble to herself and she smiled often.

She reminded him of the sun.

Unconscious of Ichigo, Orihime continued skipping and jumping into puddles. Each time she achieved a particularly large splash, she giggled gaily. But when she finally noticed him, concern clouded her face.

"Ne, you shouldn't stay out in the rain."

Ichigo jolted. Orihime was openly staring at him and he hoped she didn't notice he had been crying.

"I mean, I love the rain," babbled on Orihime, "even though Onii-chan says playing in it will get me sick."

"I hate the rain."

Orihime paused, blinking rapidly. "You do?"

Ichigo nodded but did not elaborate.

Uncomfortable, Orihime bit down on her bottom lip. "Er, would you like to share an umbrella?"

Ichigo shook his head.

Orihime deliberated something and then came to a decision. Neatly, she retracted her umbrella and then bounced to Ichigo's side. "I can't stop the rain like you want," she said, "but I'll stay in it with you."

Ichigo remained silent. Inside he was appreciative of Orihime's company. For an entire hour, the two lively haired children sat by the riverbank, listening to rain splatter around them.

:

Soon, Ichigo found himself growing fond for the girl who was made up of sunshine and smiles. At school they greeted each other and in the afternoons they'd spent it together where Masaki used to enjoy taking long strolls.

He confessed to her how an illness took his mother's life. In return, she told him about her unloving parents that Sora took her from. They shared secrets and stories. Some related to Ichigo's little sisters and Orihime's older brother, some were of Masaki and some were of Orihime's dreams.

"I'd like to work at a bakery," said Orihime. "And I'd like to try different foods from far away countries. Oh, and I'd like to get married and have a big family."

Fascinated, Ichigo listened to her ramble on and on.

"Why do you wear those clips everyday?" Ichigo asked, surveying the hibiscus clips in her hair that were painted like the summer sky.

Orihime smiled widely. "They're a gift from Onii-chan."

"They're nice," complimented Ichigo, a rare smile playing on his lips.

:

Orihime had become a target for bullying. She shared the same hardships as Ichigo for her strangely colored hair. Girls would purposely stick gum in it or roughly pull on it. But Orihime did not lash out or react the way Ichigo would. She was passive and pretended it did not bother her.

"Why don't you stick up for yourself?" demanded Ichigo when he caught her crying in the restrooms and had finally had enough

"I dunno," answered Orihime timidly. "I guess it's because I'm not brave like you."

So when spiteful children chopped off her hair at school, Ichigo was suspended for breaking a boy's nose and threatening the entire class.

:

After her brother died at his family clinic, Ichigo witnessed a flower wilt and wither. His heart went out for the auburn girl who made his days brighter. He held her hand throughout the memorial service and burial. When she cried, he handed her tissues.

He admired Orihime because unlike him, she did not wallow in misery. Instead, she created a shrine in honor of Sora Inoue and she pursued a happy life for him.

Then she managed to make a new friend named Tatsuki. She was a girl Ichigo approved and got along with.

Promptly, the hair Ichigo admired grew long again.

:

In high school, while Orihime blossomed into something beautiful, Ichigo gained the reputation of a troublesome punk. More fights and rumors floated over Ichigo but Orihime didn't pay head to them. Remaining loyal, she ate lunch with him and even let him copy her notes.

Ichigo worried that the long lines of boys would corrupt Orihime. He kept them at bay, shadowing Orihime with his presence. Ichigo did not believe any guy was good enough for Orihime.

Ichigo was fine with just having Orihime because she was all he needed.

:

A girl with dark hair and yellow eyes showed up to Karakura High School. Her features were pretty enough but nothing compared to Orihime. Still, she was mysterious and hard to catch.

Crestfallen, Orihime watched the boy she adored chase after another girl. Soon, she and Ichigo's conversations grew shorter and their meetings became fleeting. Orihme was losing her place in Ichigo's world.

"Don't just let her take him from you," prompted Tatsuki. "Fight for him."

"But she makes him happy," said Orihime. "And when you truly love someone you don't wish to ruin that happiness."

Tatsuki's teeth grounded together. She hated that Orihime's love was going to waste.

:

Orihime felt jealousy towards Senna for a single reason: she had Ichigo's heart. It was the one thing Orihime had ever wanted.

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Orihime needed to get away. Her chest felt unbearably tight and her stomach was hurting her. Being in the same building as Ichigo made her anxious and queasy. She hated how much her heart lurched to him. It almost ripped her chest open.

Scurrying past the time consuming elevator, Orihime took the stairs instead. She was desperate to create as much distance as possible. She was good at that.

:

Ichigo was not going to let Orihime get away. Not this time, especially not when she finally reappeared after six long years. Quickly, he followed her out of the conference room and into the deserted hallway.

Orihime nearly succeeded getting away but the swaying door to the staircase indicated which way she took.

Determined, Ichigo chased after her.

:

Taunting him were the sounds of rapid footsteps. Ichigo was only trailing a mere flight behind Orihime. As he gained ground, Ichigo heard a squeal and then something tumbled down the stairs.

"Inoue!"

A loud thud echoed. "O-Ow."

Cursing, Ichigo leaped over the railings and landed by her sprawled out body. Orihime propped herself up and rubbed her ankle. "Mou . . . I tripped . . ."

Ichigo sighed, assessing her condition. "That's why you shouldn't run in heels."

"A-Ano, I know," said Orihime sheepishly. "Ulquiorra tells me that all the time."

Another sharp pain jabbed itself into Ichigo. Somewhat breathless, he asked, "Are you okay?"

"A-Ah, yes, thank you."

Frowning, Ichigo crouched down. "Let me see."

Orihime moved her hand and allowed Ichigo to exam her ankle. Nothing appeared to be wrong but he wanted to be sure. Gingerly, Ichigo touched her ankle. "Does it hurt?"

Orihime shook her head and prayed Ichigo could not hear her hammering heart. "No . . ."

It did not slip past Ichigo's mind that he was touching her for the first time in six years. It was nice to feel something soft and real as opposed to his dreams where she felt like smoke. "Can you stand?"

"I think so."

Ichigo helped Orihime back up to her feet by grabbing her forearms. She wobbled for a second then regained her balance. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo pocketed his hands to keep them off Orihime. If he wasn't careful, he'd do something rash and ruin his chances with her. "No problem."

Pensively, Orihime stared up at Ichigo with her nose slightly scrunched and lips rubbing together.

"What?" asked Ichigo.

Orihime flushed and averted her attention to the floor. "Sorry, I just can't believe you're really here."

Ichigo couldn't believe it either. Orihime's presence was overpowering, he had been left wondering for years about her and she was finally in front of him. Suddenly, they weren't separated by the years or miles, they were together in the same space.

Slouching to get closer, Ichigo asked, "Why were you in such a hurry?"

Ducking her head, Orihime stepped back. If she let him get too near, her thoughts would jumble up and she'd be incapable. "Ulquiorra has to review some things with Aizen-sama and he needs me to finish some paperwork for him."

It was such a normal answer that it surprised Ichigo. He felt conceited for thinking she was avoiding him. "So you're leaving then?"

Orihime continued to discreetly scoot away. "Yes," she said. "Ulquiorra-kun called a car for me."

Ichigo indicated with his broad shoulder for Orihime to follow. "Here, I'll see you out."

Orihime waved her arms around outrageously. "Uh, you don't have to! I don't want to bother you—"

Her reaction was too familiar. Ichigo could picture a childlike Orihime acting the same way. It was nice to see Orihime was still the same even though everything was different. "You're never a bother, Inoue."

It would have been wise if Orihime firmly declined Ichigo's offer. It would've been the right thing to do considering their history and her feelings for him. She was treading into dangerous territory but she couldn't stop herself.

"Inoue?"

Orihime bit down on her bottom lip. "O-Okay . . ."

:

Orihime walked beside Ichigo down the remainder of the stairs. She focused on keeping herself upright to prevent another embarrassing fall. "So how have you been, Kurosaki-kun?"

"Good," answered Ichigo, knowing he was speaking lies. He couldn't bring himself to admit how he truly felt. Anyways, it seemed ludicrous that Orihime was asking such a basic question considering the circumstances.

Her voice was soft and sincere. "I'm glad to hear that."

Ichigo grimaced; her kind words were like knives. "What about you? Have you been well?"

"Yup!"

Ichigo cast her a sidelong glance. He wanted to ask Orihime about the wedding but he was unable to do so. They finally reached to main floor and Ichigo opened the door to the lobby for Orihime. As she brushed past him, Ichigo inhaled a waft of freesia. His hands twitched to forcefully grab Orihime.

"Oh, there's the car," pointed out Orihime as she spotted a grey car waiting by the entrance. She looked at Ichigo uncertainly, debating on what to do. Then she outstretched her hand. "Thank you very much, Kurosaki-kun."

Giving Orihime a handshake was the saddest thing Ichigo had ever done. Firmly, he took her dainty hand and shook it once. For the slightest second, neither attempted to let go but then Orihime pulled back.

"Inoue."

Orihime met Ichigo's intense gaze with wide, stormy eyes.

"If you're not busy," said Ichigo, "we should find some time to catch up."

Orihime clasped her hands together, the ring glittering. Only she could tear a man down and build him back up. "Sure," she said with a small smile.

A single word made Ichigo smirk jubilantly. "Sounds good."

"Well," said Orihime, "I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah." There was still a large amount of unanswered questions but Ichigo felt better than before. See you later sound a lot better than goodbye.