This chapter as a load of drama in it, but my goal for this story is to stay in character as much as possible! Unfortunately, this means slow progress for our couple, but the good news is that it'll only make their relationship better! Please, please, please take a few seconds of your time to leave me a review! I love reading them and it really makes me smile~
Enjoy!
Sometime during the night, Orihime could have sworn she was sleepwalking. She vaguely remembered awakening in the middle of the night in a room that was definitely not hers. Scared, worried, and half-awake, she looked frantically around the room and saw a familiar head of raven black hair nestled on a desk to the right of her. A sense of relief immediately washed over her and she leaned over to comb her fingers through the boy's soft hair. The boy sighed awake, eyes flickering open, his emeralds eyes shining in the dark.
The sleepy-headed girl crawled out of bed and nudged the boy on the shoulder with her palm. He grumbled in complaint. Lifting his heavy head from his arms that cradled his head on the desk, he turned over, exposing his inviting, empty lap to her. She crawled into his lap, curling into a little ball as his arms wrapped securely around her and went back to sleep.
Before Ulquiorra could come to his senses, a very warm and heavy girl had made herself at home in his lap.
"Onna?" he whispered tiredly.
The only response was the sound of her even breathing and the muted beating of her heart in the still room.
Tenderly, Ulquiorra carried her in his arms once more and placed her back on the bed. He only meant to return her back to the bed, but when he tried to part with her, the arms she had wrapped around his neck wouldn't give way. Sighing, Ulquiorra climbed in bed with her, her arms still wrapped tightly around his neck. He held her until he could lay her head down on the soft pillow, which consequently had him hovering over her, their lips only a few centimeters apart.
Looking down at the oblivious girl, her sweet breath tickled his cheek as he reached a hand behind his head to gently pry her hands apart to release him. He watched the way her chest rose and fell with every breath that passed through the lips he had claimed not long ago and the way she shuddered when he was finally able to free himself from her grasp. The princess's brow furrowed and her relaxed expression turned to one of anxiety.
Worried that she would wake up or remain restless throughout the rest of the night, he tilted her chin up lightly, just enough to give him sight of her jawline and lowered his head and planted a tender, calming kiss right below her jaw.
Suddenly, Ulquiorra felt Orihime's inner thigh graze gently against him in between his legs. He winced as pleasure shot through him from his groin and settled in his face as heat. Enchanted by the feeling of her shapely body writhing underneath his pressure and the intoxicating, sweet smell of her hair, he kissed her more feverishly, unable to stop himself. He felt Orihime buck her hips underneath him again, her legs stroking against him deliciously as he tasted her.
His fingers ached to cup the breasts that threatened to spill out of the folds of her dress, but his hand hesitated as he felt her mouth quiver against his cheek.
"K…Kuro...saki…kun" she murmured against his ebony hair.
And just like that, all security surrounding him and the girl shattered mercilessly and he felt his hollow hole erupt in pain. The trust Orihime had worked so hard for was lost just like his thoughts. An overwhelming sensation of emptiness was swallowing him back into the abyss he had lived in before he met her. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the pillow beside her, feeling her chest rise and fall rhythmically below his.
Frowning, Ulquiorra removed himself from Orihime and got off the bed. He grabbed an empty Styrofoam cup from the desk he was sleeping at and searched through the refrigerator for ice. With a cup full of ice, he escaped to the bathroom to prepare for a very cold bath.
Orihime snapped her eyes open and swallowed to cool her burning throat. Jolting upright, her vision slowly adjusted as her heart raced underneath her chest. She analyzed her current situation.
Ulquiorra must have brought me to the hotel, she realized.
Suddenly, last night's events rushed back into her consciousness and she felt color and blood drain from her face.
His kiss. Her first kiss. His first kiss. Their first kiss. Shared.
His lips always looked so thin and hard when he frowned, but when they touched hers, the creaminess made her insides melt. However, it wasn't his kiss that made her lose consciousness last night. She thought she saw him smile. No wait. He did. His dark lips were definitely tilted at the corner in a smirk. And God was that hot. But shouldn't she be mad he stole her first kiss?
Her first kiss was surprisingly gentle, not cold and emotionless like Ulquiorra's personality. Within those few seconds, she felt as though he was expressing his feelings to her through his touch. She felt passion, need, lust, and so much more. It was beautifully overwhelming.
She couldn't deny it. She was addicted to him. He was a drug she had become obsessed with ever since he spared her in Las Noches. Cold, dispassionate Ulquiorra Cifer… every action that seemed out of character made her swoon, making her wait anxiously for more surprises. She loved those unattached, forbidden touches, his seductive voice flowing into her ears, and his possessive, intimate marks on her neck.
No! No, Hime! You slut! You shouldn't give up on Ichigo!
She raised her palms to her cheeks and slapped herself lightly to wake herself up from her daydream.
With her adrenaline rush fading away, Orihime swung her feet over the edge of the bed, stretched, and stood up. Double-checking the room, she didn't see Ulquiorra in the proximity. Orihime felt a tingling sensation building up at her nose and sneezed loudly.
Ugh, it's so cold in here! I'm going to catch a cold!
Searching for a towel to wipe her snot with, she heard her cell phone chime from inside her purse behind her. Settling with having to wipe her nose with her sleeve, she ambled over to her purse and retrieved her flip phone.
Email from Kurosaki-kun, it read.
She felt her heart squeeze in apprehension. What could Ichigo want her for? Did something bad happen with a hollow? Was someone hurt?
Tucking her thumb underneath the cover, she flipped open her phone which automatically opened the message for her.
"Hey Inoue! It's been a while since we've hung out and all. I was wondering if you wanted to catch up on some stuff for lunch? Call me back! Oh and I'm doing fine with the hollows. Stop worrying," she read aloud.
A date with Kurosaki-kun?!
She felt steam release from her ears and her face grow hot from excitement. This was the moment she was waiting for. To reunite with her knight and be whisked away in his arms towards a future full of awesome sex and happiness. If Ulquiorra's kiss had been that amazing, surely Ichigo's would be jaw-dropping, orgasm-inducing sexy! She guessed it would be okay to be mentally and physically prepared for his kiss. Hopefully, she wouldn't pass out again if that chance ever came.
Orihime squealed in excitement and stomped her feet animatedly, but froze mid-action when she thought she heard Ulquiorra's low voice start to reprimand her from behind her. She turned around swiftly, but found no dark-haired Espada leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. She checked around her once more. Still nothing.
Sneezing again, she realized that neither she nor Ulquiorra had any clothes to change into from last night. The dress that she was currently wearing made her even more vulnerable to illness.
With a frown, she grabbed all of her belongings and set out to idle in their manmade hot springs and bask underneath the fingers of a well-trained masseuse, forgetting all about Ichigo's text.
…
Unable to sleep after spending three hours in an ice cold bath, Ulquiorra had been wandering around the massive hotel. He didn't have any other clothes to change into so he had to settle with his formal attire.
Hands in his pockets, he continued to saunter down a hallway of many doors. He turned around the corner, minding his own business when someone rudely bumped into him from behind. Preparing to smack the trash to Hueco Mundo, he rapidly turned around to face his opponent, but instead he ended up looking straight into the violet eyes of Hiroshige Miyako.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I was in a hurry," she placed her grimy hands on his chest and swiped away from invisible dirt that she could have transmitted onto him.
Ulquiorra imperceptibly shuddered and swatted the woman's hands away from him.
"I wasn't even in your way, trash. You had plenty of time to observe your surroundings and avoid any collisions," he glared menacingly at her, his cold, viridian eyes calculating, "You want something."
"My, my," she droned, "You really are quick one. I really—" she placed her hand on his chest again, near his hollow hole,"—really like that."
She leaned in closer to him and batted her long, fake eyelashes at him. He winced at her close proximity, but made no move to free himself from her touch. Miyako took a step closer while Ulquiorra did the opposite.
"Where's your girlfriend?" her eyelids lowered halfway, seductively, "Did you guys get into a fight?"
Ulquiorra's black lips tightened into a thin line.
Closing the distance, her breasts were now fully flushed against his hard chest. He had to angle his head downwards to continue staring at her. She looked up at him with sultry, amethyst eyes while her hand trailed from his chest to his abdomen. Ulquiorra stiffened immediately on feeling foreign contact on where it shouldn't be.
"I'm just going to stop beating around the bush," she pushed against him with her body, her warm, skinny hand now firmly sprawled dangerously low on his abdomen. He stepped back, but found himself barred by the wall. He hardened his gaze at her, trying to figure out what she was trying to do.
"I'll give you something that girl never can," she continued, biting her bottom lip lustfully. With a flick of her chin, she flipped her wavy, auburn side-swept bangs from her face gracefully.
For someone as empty as himself, anything that would fill the void would pique his curiosity. What could this trash give that Orihime couldn't? Ulquiorra was definitely curious as to what this woman had in mind. Obviously, this woman did not fear him.
Did she have the ability to reject reality? To completely deny the rules of the universe?
Could this trash also stir the same sensations Orihime had never failed to do every moment he was with her?
Would she drive him to the point of insanity, yet he wouldn't be able to hurt her?
There was only one way to find out.
"And what would that be?" he deadpanned.
Miyako responded by removing her hand from his stomach and roughly pulling his green-checkered tie in towards her. She stood on her toes and licked Ulquiorra's bottom lip as she forcefully reigned him in to meet her halfway.
Ulquiorra's eyes widened in shock, realizing what the woman's true intentions were. He felt utterly disgusted in himself for not seeing it earlier, but when the woman tugged on his tie harder to plant her lipstick-coated lips against his lips, he found himself unable to move. It wasn't the way the woman wrapped her arm rightly around his neck that kept him immobile. Nor was it the fact that when she closed her eyes to deepen the kiss that she reminded him of another auburn-haired girl.
It was the devastating set of emotions that immediately stirred within him that shocked him frozen.
Something wasn't right.
The kiss was passionate. Undeniably sexy and alluring. The woman smelled good of expensive, synthetic perfume and her body was irresistible. The way her mouth moved against his as she parted to lips to ask for entrance into his with her tongue, was hard to deny. Ulquiorra was sure, at that moment, that this is what lust truly was. Humans, Hollows, Shinigami… they would all be tempted to this seductress.
But the overwhelming sensation that something was wrong was enclosing Ulquiorra.
It was as if a cold, dark blanket had covered him, rendering him blind and his senses numb. It was the complete opposite of what he had felt with Orihime and that was how he knew that what he was allowing to happen with Miyako would definitely hurt the girl.
This was what he wanted wasn't it? He was merely curious as to what a kiss was. He did not want any unnecessary trouble. Surely, the act of kissing is all the same, correct?
But why did this seem like an entirely different event from last night?
He clenched his fists tightly in his pockets.
…
"Mmm… That felt so nice!" Orihime mused aloud.
Running her fingers through ginger strands of hair, she sighed happily. It was a different kind of happiness for her. All her life, she had to live with optimism and fake smiles so she wouldn't worry, her friends, but for once, she felt complete. A warm sensation vibrated within her with every step she took.
Massages are so great, she thought to herself.
Lightly treading on the carpeted floors of the hotel's hallways, she continued to make her way back to her room, hoping Ulquiorra would be there so they could leave right away.
"Ah, but what to do today… Oh! Oh my gosh, I totally forgot!" Orihime reached into her purse while she walked and pulled out her cell phone. In her absentmindedness, she had forgotten all about Ichigo despite being so excited that her moment had come.
She flipped her phone open and made a few clicks to direct her back to the message. Silently, she read the message over and over again to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Her thumb was about to press on the green button to call him back when she heard a very intimate and feminine moan from around the corner she was about to turn.
Orihime halted and planted her feet softly on the carpet. Immediately, blood rushed to her face. She almost dropped her cell phone having her fingers frozen in awkwardness, but she regained her composure just in time.
Was someone really doing that here? She fretted.
But being the young, innocent, curious virgin she was, she supposed she could indirectly peek by passing by like she had no idea someone was there.
The young, innocent, curious virgin placed her cell phone back into her purse quietly and stood up straight with poise. Preparing to intrude on the unseeing couple, she awkwardly marched closer to the corner.
Rounding the corner of the hallway, she instantly spotted a curl of bright, orange hair. Continuing her pace warily, she recognized that hair belonged to Miyako. A few split seconds and a step later, she saw him.
There was Ulquiorra within the arms of the gorgeous pianist Hiroshige Miyako, her own fingers seemingly playing a piece on his body as she violated his unclaimed neck with her tongue.
The blood that rushed to her face only a few seconds ago immediately drained to her feet and she suddenly found it very hard to breath. She wanted to throw up.
She watched as Ulquiorra slowly opened his eyes and shifted those dark, green orbs in her direction, his eyes widening in shock. Her heart immediately dropped into her stomach and she felt like running away, but it was all too confusing for her. Why did it matter to her? In fact, Orihime felt very proud that Ulquiorra was starting to become more human and move on from nihility… right?
Orihime was battling with an unknown force within her. She was confused with herself and towards Ulquiorra. Did she do something wrong? Was she not good enough that Ulquiorra would immedi—
And then it hit her.
Ulquiorra only came here for her body.
That was the only reason. That's why he was never affected by her. That's why he was letting himself be embraced by a stranger. That could be the only reason.
"Ah…!" Orihime raised her hands up as if she were surrendering, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for intruding! Aha! Haha!"
She laughed loudly and awkwardly, ending with a hiccup. She shut her eyes tightly on feeling the familiar tingling sensation prickling at the corners of her eyes and her nose. She wouldn't cry now. Not here, not with Ulquiorra. Not only would he think she's weak, but he'll misunderstand.
The auburn-haired girl didn't even understand why she felt like she was about to cry, but she wasn't going to stick around any longer for anyone to see.
Still laughing, she readjusted her purse on her shoulder and clutched it tightly, hoping all her stress would manifest physically and be released that way, but she knew better. Fixing her posture once more, she marched past Ulquiorra and Miyako, still laughing.
A few feet away, she swiftly turned around and gave the staring Ulquiorra a thumbs up and an encouraging wink and then immediately turned back around and retreated to her room. Ulquiorra couldn't help but notice that when Orihime winked, a small, almost-undetectable tear escaped from her left eye.
He mentally kicked himself for letting his guard down not only for Miyako, but for not being able to sense Orihime's approaching presence.
Ulquiorra felt a different fire erupt from within him.
Angrily, Ulquiorra placed his hands on the shoulders of the woman in front of him and shoved her roughly away from him. Stumbling a few feet back, she looked up at him and gave him a nasty glare, but he had yet to turn his gaze away from Orihime's receding figure.
He felt as though he should spit on Miyako, but he knew he was partially at fault. And spending more than a mere second with such trash was unimaginable. It was his fault. That was unquestionable. And he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He didn't understand why this sense of regret was mercilessly engulfing him, but he realized, this foreign feeling did not make him feel so vacant. It made him feel sadness instead.
Ulquiorra quickly sonido'd to the girl, eliciting a sharp gasp from her as he pinned her against the wall harshly with his sudden proximity.
Orihime looked up at him, her bright eyes widening with a pinch of fear. Ulquiorra's face was dark, slightly obscured by his long, raven-black hair, but his eyes glistened with some emotion Orihime couldn't label. Unable to smile any longer, Orihime's brow creased and face wilted as tears flowed down her face. She shut her eyes closed and lowered her head, fisting her hands beside her stiffly, and attempted to lessen the flow of her tears.
Ulquiorra was taken aback.
He had never seen this weak, vulnerable side of hers up close. She had always waited until she thought he couldn't see her. However, now that he knew what the very essence of sadness and confusion looked like, sympathy was seizing at his hollow hole and he yearned to make her smile again or for her to open her eyes and give him that fierce stare he had been captivated by. The burning sensation he had felt when he saw Orihime's first tear and now become a force compelling him to fall on his knees with sadness.
This is why he thought emotions were a burden. It made him weaker. It obviously made Orihime weaker, but it made Orihime who she was.
Grabbing her wrist, Ulquiorra could only stare at the top of her head in genuine concern. It was meaningless. All of it. The new set of emotions that threatened to ruin his very character, Orihime's reaction, his curiosity, the weight of this event inducing him to such human characteristics. All of it.
"Do you think I'm pathetic?" Orihime whispered almost too softly. Her voice was strained and shaky. She couldn't help it. The realization that Ulquiorra had just been toying with her hit her hard.
Ulquiorra didn't respond. He didn't understand what the woman was rambling about. It had absolutely nothing to do with the current situation. Was she referring to her tears? He didn't even understand why she was crying in the first place. He should be the one inquiring.
Meanwhile, as Ulquiorra mused over the simple question, Orihime misunderstood his silence. Sniffling, she dug into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Flipping it open, she dialed the number for Ichigo as Ulquiorra watched her random decision.
The dial tone rang about five times and just when Orihime thought Ichigo wasn't going to pick up, he did.
"Oh hey, Kurosaki-kun! It's Orihime. I got your message," she chirped, a sad smile surfacing on her wet fact. Ulquiorra continued to look at her silently, but her eyes avoided him.
"Yes… yes! Yeah, I can definitely meet you there," she inserted a giggle, "Alright, Kurosaki-kun. I'll meet you there, but I've gotta head home to get ready… What? Oh no, I, um, spent a night at my friend's house here. I'm fine Kurosaki-kun!"
Ulquiorra was getting dreadfully bored hearing the woman talk to the person she was infatuated with. He couldn't fathom what she loved about that boy. Hearts beating as one? He felt nauseous at the ridiculousness of it all.
"Okay, I'll see you in a few then, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime snapped her flip phone shut, but kept her head lowered while her mouth construed into a tight line.
Irritated, Ulquiorra placed a hand under her chin to lift her head up, but she flinched at her touch. Ulquiorra's hand hesitated below her face, catching a few new tears that dripped from her chin, and then slowly backed away, lowering his arms to his sides.
He watched as Orihime left him, her hair obscuring his view of her eyes and the tint of pink that coated her pale cheeks and stuffy nose.
And just like that, all the sensations he had newly experienced vanished and he was left alone. Cold and confused.
He had never felt so empty in his entire existence.
To Orihime, it felt kind of strange to return home without immediately seeing the image of Ulquiorra's dark figure scrunched up on the couch and facing towards the television. She felt her heart squeeze and a new wave of tears prickling her eyes. The fact that she couldn't understand why she was so distraught made her even more upset.
Sure, she realized Ulquiorra had been teasing her senseless. The Espada even stole her first kiss. But some unknown reason made her throat dry and her heart lurch forward in pain. Was she being used? She couldn't even tell at this point.
After the auburn-haired girl showered, she dressed into a casual dress: a string-halter gray dress that flowed loosely around her knees. She avoided looking into the mirror knowing fully well that she would just see the image of a fiery-haired witch, but she felt that there was nothing she could do. If she applied concealer underneath her eyes, it might just be washed away by tears.
I should be happy, she thought to herself. Sadness loomed over her and she found it difficult to muster a smile. Happy Kurosaki-kun didn't forget about me, happy that I have a chance, happy that Ulquiorra was so strong and independent…
"Geez, it's like Ulquiorra broke up with me!" she lifted her arms straight into the air and brought them down as dead-weight on her head as if she were punishing herself.
"But we aren't even dating," she blushed. Was that idea even possible?
She shook her head. Obviously not.
Stepping out of her apartment and closing the door behind her, she headed towards the local café Ichigo and her had agreed to meet at.
…
Ulquiorra felt extremely frustrated.
Why am I here watching over the onna like this? He contemplated.
The Arrancar peered at her head of bright, caramel locks as she passed under him. When she had walked a good distance from him, he silently Sonido'd to the next building's roof, concealing his reiatsu with ease.
He observed her strong poise as she walked, her fists balled up in determination, but he also noted how her face was flushed from crying not long ago, the dark circles under her eyes, and her mouth arched downwards in a frown. It certainly didn't suit Inoue Orihime. Although he had seen this face before, he had become accustomed to her blinding smile and her clumsy habits.
Raven black hair whipped his face as Ulquiorra landed on the roof of the building Orihime had disappeared inside of. Waiting a few minutes, he watched her reemerge from indoors, a puzzled look evident on her face. Then, Orihime sat down at a nearby table outside of the café and waited for her knight patiently.
Ten minutes past 3 o'clock, Orihime took out her cell phone and started to mindlessly press some buttons to stave off her boredom.
For the next thirty minutes, Orihime would occasionally lift her head up from her phone and scan her surroundings quickly only to slump her shoulders in disappointment when her expectations were not met.
One hour, Orihime decided to order sweetened ice tea with red bean paste (much to the waiter's confusion). Ulquiorra could tell she was getting dehydrated from sitting outside on a humid, autumn day.
An hour and thirty minutes later, Ulquiorra was getting irritated, but before he decided to jump down and accompany the woman instead, Kurosaki Ichigo managed to arrive 'just in time'.
"Yo, Inoue," Ichigo had an apologetic tone to his greeting, his arms in his pockets as he smirked at Orihime.
Orihime looked up from her phone slowly and hesitatingly and locked eyes with the strawberry-haired boy. Were those tears Ulquiorra saw glistening at the corners of her eyes? His rage started to build up to a dangerous level.
"Kurosaki-kun!" she beamed at him. Despite today's events, it seemed to Ulquiorra she could steal all the Sun's rays and display it with her smile.
"Sorry, I'm late, Inoue-san. There was a hollow nearby and it took a bit longer than I thought. I should've called you," he frowned.
"Oh that's okay, Kurosaki-kun! Come sit! You must be tired."
Ichigo took a seat in front of her and sighed heavily. Orihime sipped the straw of her drink and continued to smile at him.
"I mean I could've gotten here earlier if Grimmjow coulda helped me, but the guy is always going out and lazing around like some cat," he grimaced.
"Oh Grimmjow is staying with you?" she perked up.
"He's such a handful!" Ichigo threw his hands up in exasperation, "All he does is eat our food and then find some way to tick me off so we could fight. Thank God Soul Society limited his powers or it would go on and on forever!"
Orihime just laughed routinely.
After a few more minutes of meaningless chatter about the blue-haired Espada, Ichigo mentioned his name.
"Ul-Ulquiorra?" she stuttered, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Yeah, have you seen him? I bet he arrived with the other Arrancar. Oh man, that reminds me. I saw Nel and Nnoitra making out at the local park the other day. That was freaking nasty."
Ulquiorra wanted to nod in agreement with the boy. Nnoitra was utterly disgusting.
Orihime emitted her usual giggle in response and then proceeded respond "No, I haven't seen Ulquiorra."
Ichigo raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
"Well, I guess I could imagine him being in Hueco Mundo by himself, but knowing and seeing what he did to you five years ago…," Ichigo's voice trailed off and his fists clenched on the table.
"Kurosaki-kun, don't beat yourself up over it. It wasn't your fault! Besides, I'm perfectly fine now! And I am capable of taking care of myself. You know I've gotten stronger!" she reassured.
"He tore your clothes into shreds, Inoue. He saw you naked. Don't you feel disturbed? Scarred?" he stressed.
Orihime shook her head, "Mm… I don't think Ulquiorra had intentions like that. He isn't scary like Nnoitra. I was never afraid of him," she murmured her last sentence quietly, her gaze switched from Ichigo's brown eyes to the crowded sidewalk next to her.
At mentioning the Arrancar's name, Orihime suddenly felt her mood darken. She looked away in fear that she would start crying and then she would be forced to confess to Ichigo about Ulquiorra.
"Ugh," Ichigo ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his head in confusion, "I don't know, Inoue. I'm pretty worried for you."
"Why, Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered.
"Huh?"
She turned her head back to look at him, gray eyes staring into blue.
"Why do you care about me so much?"
"You're a precious friend of mine, Inoue," he blinked twice at her.
"Is it because I'm weak? Because I have to depend on you?" Her voice started to rise in pitch.
"What? No!" Ichigo was astounded by her attitude.
"Then why?"
"I told you, Inoue-san, you mean a lot to me."
Orihime bit her lips, her brow furrowing. Years of frustration were emerging from deep within her soul and threatening to spill from her quivering, pink lips.
"Is that all, Kurosaki-kun?" she really wanted to know. It was about time.
"Inoue-san…"
Orihime abruptly stood up, pushing her chair back, and slammed her hands on the table.
"Why do we still have these honorifics? Why do I still call you by your last name and you the same? Why does it seem like this barrier has never been broken? Kurosaki-kun… I…!"
Orihime stuttered, her voice quickly losing its strength. She lowered her head and stared at the table, tears were freely spilling from her eyes again, but for a different purpose. Why did this day suck so much?
"Kurosaki-kun, I've always thought more of you," she breathed out softly.
Ichigo stared at her wide-eyed, not expecting this moment to happen so quickly. He was dumbfounded, a fly caught in a spider's web. He dreaded for this moment. Of course he knew Orihime had feelings for him, but he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship.
"I think highly of you too, Inoue-san. Why are you crying? Don't cry…"
Orihime couldn't take it anymore. After pulling out her wallet and leaving payment for her drink on the table, she collected all the strength she had left to run away from the situation.
Before Ichigo could stagger out of his chair to run after her, he felt an intense, dark reiatsu pin him down. Turning around, he was further astonished to see the Cuatro Espada standing only a few yards away, his raven black hair casting a shadow on his face emphasizing the rage his emerald glare held.
"Ulquiorra…," Ichigo managed to murmur.
Ulquiorra continued to stare at him, his black lips barely moving as he spoke.
"Your indecisiveness will be her ruin, Kurosaki Ichigo."
Before Ichigo could retort, Ulquiorra had vanished along with any trace of his reiatsu.
It all seemed so surreal to Ichigo. He was no longer an adolescent teen. He was a man and it was about time he settled things. He should have realized that Orihime would never let their bond wither and that Orihime would stay by his side through thick and thin.
As for Ulquiorra being there after Orihime left, was that a coincidence? Has he been stalking her? Ichigo could only trust that Orihime would be able to protect herself or at least rely on him, but apparently the latter option would only upset her more.
He just didn't want her to be sad anymore. Though it seemed he wasn't the only one watching over her.
Orihime stumbled around as she walked on the path back to her home. Avoiding the curious stares of strangers that she passed by, she tried to hide her tear-streaked face and muffled the sounds of her nasal congestion. In addition to her misery, she sneezed loudly, causing snot to drip from her nose irrepressibly.
Great, now I'm sick.
"Today really, really sucks," she whispered to herself. Too busy drowning in self-pity and her own tears, she was unaware of Ulquiorra's dark presence following her as he jumped from building to building. Watching the girl stagger around, he wanted to make sure she would make it home safely without tripping on her own feet and injuring herself.
My heart hurts so much…
The memory of Ulquiorra kissing her under the light of the stars reemerged from her subconscious. The pain in her chest slightly subsided, but it was still aching. Immediately after the sweet memory vanished, she recalled the image of Ulquiorra being embraced by another woman and secured against the hotel walls with her shapely body and her lips.
Oh that's right… Ulquiorra kissed that woman too…
Suddenly, Orihime felt a strange reiatsu clamber towards her direction while she walked.
Both Ulquiorra and Orihime turned their heads to the direction of the intruder and their questions were answered by the ominous howling of a Hollow.
The monster raised its masked head up towards the blue sky and howled louder, hungry for power and dominance. It swerved its dark eyes towards Orihime, sensing her spiritual potential. Judging by its large, lizard-like body and its feathered wings, Orihime knew it was only a low-level Hollow, but she didn't put her guard down. It continued to crawl towards her, toxic-green tentacle arms excreting a slime that burned any living thing it touched.
Ulquiorra examined the Hollow and then looked back towards Orihime. He could sense that the girl was hesitating and her eyes were wide with surprise, but he refused to underestimate her like Kurosaki Ichigo had done.
The Cuatro Espada felt for the hilt of his Murcielago at his waist, but ended up touching the fabric of his pants instead. Cursing under his breath, he recalled that he could only use his sword with the approval of Soul Society. He pulled out his phone instead and prepared to send a text message, but he felt lost while staring at the keypad, realizing he didn't know how to send a text message. He snapped his head towards Orihime anxiously, but he knew that if she would ever be in trouble, he would rather risk his life for her.
For a fleeting second, Orihime wondered if Ichigo would be nearby to save her before she could do anything, but realizing that she was tired of that scenario, she placed her pale fingertips on her collar where her hairpins rested dormant. Gaining her resolve and strength, she raised her arms outwards, her eyes burning with determination.
I'll protect these people, she thought. She could feel her weakness fading. She knew what to do.
I'll protect these people. I'll protect Kurosaki-kun. I'll protect Ulquiorra. And most of all, I'll protect myself.
The Hollow was now a few yards away from her, flapping its large, feathered wings to lift itself up into the air. The sudden gush of wind frightened and startled the people surrounding Orihime and the invisible hollow, giving Orihime enough room for a battle.
The Hollow, now flying in the air, reared its head up in one final roar, hunger and sorrow mixed within its voice. It pulled a tentacle back, posing to launch an attack Orihime supposed would contain poison.
"Koten… Zanshun!" She yelled, ignoring the hushed whispers of the crowd around her.
Swiftly, she grabbed her mock zanpakutou and launched it towards the Hollow above her. Tsubaki sliced one of its tentacles off, causing it to recoil in pain and emit a louder howl of agony. Knotting her eyebrows in concentration, she retrieved her weapon in her hand and posed for another attack. The Hollow regained its composure and hissed at her. Flapping its wings once more and folding the mass of feathers behind its back, it leaned forward and went for a nose dive towards Orihime.
Orihime's vivid, fiery hair whipped behind her as the sudden gush of wind pummeled through her, but she kept her stance steady. Instead of running back to earn her more room, she stood her ground and did something else with the manifestation of light in her hands. Using both hands, she concentrated Tsubaki's power into a sphere. Looking straight above her, she raised her hands up, along with her newfound ability, and released it.
Ulquiorra was speechless. The girl had just manifested something similar to a Hollow's cero. Maybe even a Cero Oscuras.
The silent Espada covered his green eyes with a sleeved arm to block out the bright surge of yellow light that emitted from the impact of Orihime's attack and the Hollow. As the light faded, he slowly lowered his arm and watched as the Hollow's ashes drifted to the ground, surrounding Orihime like black ash. Her face was dark and her hair a mess, but gray eyes were sparkling with silent victory.
She was truly interesting.
It wasn't the fact that Orihime had just finished a low level Hollow. No, Ulquiorra knew her powers had much more potential than that. Instead it was how she executed her strength. She was quick, determined, brilliant, and beautiful. He felt overwhelmed with pride for the girl.
All of a sudden, Orihime swayed on her feet, exhausted from the uncontrolled use of her powers, and Ulquiorra was there in an instant to catch her before she fell.
"Onna, it seems I can't teach you to walk by leaving you alone," he taunted. Ulquiorra fought the urge to smile at the girl in his arms.
Orihime slowly tilted her head back and smiled sadly at him.
"Ulquiorra…," Orihime stabilized her position by herself, her back turned towards Ulquiorra, and entwined her fingers together behind her back. She threw her head back and gave him a bright smile, her sweet, brown bangs grazing against her forehead.
"I'm so sorry, Ulquiorra, I'm such an idiot," she continued to smile, but Ulquiorra saw it.
It reflected the light of the autumn day on her cheek. A single tear slid down her face and dripped from her chin to land on her hairpins. Orihime faced forward again, preparing to walk alone, but Ulquiorra wouldn't let this happen twice.
Stretching his arm out, he grabbed the woman's wrist and spun her around to face him. Her eyes were shut in a desperate attempt to stop the flow of tears, strands of red-brown hair adhering to her already wet cheeks.
Impulsively, she rushed into Ulquiorra's arms and buried her head into his cold, hard chest. Ulquiorra could feel her shoulders shuddering as she wept, echoes of pain and rejection echoing through the Hollow hole in his chest.
"It hurts so much, Ulquiorra," she sobbed into his chest. Her tears were soaking his gray shirt; fragile fingers seized the fabric on his back, her desperate embrace suffocating him. Her legs were starting to give out on her and she started to slump down on her knees, but Ulquiorra held her up by her elbow.
"Orihime…," he whispered, his lips grazing against her forehead as he spoke. Her skin was hot, burning his lips and his hands as he touched her. Taking a moment to breathe, she exhaled, then released another heart-wrenching, muffled cry.
Ulquiorra placed a pale hand gently on her head, causing her to look up at him. Face soaked with tears, she managed to smile at him, though her shoulders still quivered in a pitiful manner. He ran his skinny fingers through her auburn hair to soothe her.
Orihime wrapped her arms tighter around him, heat pouring from her body into Ulquiorra's. Warily, Ulquiorra leaned back and slid the hand that rested on her head to cup her cheek. She was burning. At first he thought her face was flushed from her lamentation, but when she emitted a muffled sneeze, his doubts were cleared.
She was sick.
...
Once again, Ulquiorra carried his strong and brilliant princess to her bed. He adjusted the sheets over her, watching her sleeping face contort into an expression of agony. It was different from last night. Tears were overflowing from her closed eyes and her shiny lips slightly parted to aid her in breathing since her sinuses were congested. Watching her in her despair made Ulquiorra feel as though he were experiencing the same sensations she was.
Is this what the heart does?
He understood now, but it was too late to give it back.
Ulquiorra turned away and took a step to make his way back to the living room, but a small hand reached out and gripped his wrist desperately. The Espada tilted his head slightly and adjusted his emerald gaze to the frail girl behind him. He watched her lips part once more, barely moving as she spoke in a hushed, weak tone. Ulquiorra couldn't hear her, but he didn't need to.
Don't leave.
He placed a bony hand on the warm hand that anchored him to her bedside and removed it.
"How absurd," he deadpanned. All these emotions were tearing him up into nothingness. He only wanted to free himself.
He heard her give off a pathetic whimper in response and he hesitated from looking away. Before he could question his intentions, he found himself unable to resist her request. Crawling over her to take the unoccupied side of her bed, he took a moment to hover over her, his dark figure blocking the light and casting a shadow on her features.
Feebly, her arms wrapped around his torso once again and pulled his body towards her. Their bodies were now pressed together and Ulquiorra had to strain his neck from pressing against her lips. Their legs were tangled together and his arms planted on either side of her head. The bed made a soft creaking noise as Orihime shifted to curl into him.
"Ulquiorra," she breathed out. A warm breath caressed his cheeks and tickled long strands of black hair.
He was starting to grow restless. Having such a beautiful body fill the curves of his own was starting to elicit inappropriate reactions from his body, but he couldn't push himself off. He knew Orihime needed to hold onto him. She was in pain and he was her only consolation. The girl had no family and her best friend had moved away. He was all she had and her heart had just been shattered by the one boy she had placed all her hopes and dreams in. If he continued to be distant from her, the girl might break.
Even though he was a monster, she had accepted him. He was the embodiment of despair, emptiness, and fear and yet she had cured him of his nihility. Ulquiorra felt an overwhelming desire to save her from falling into that same anguish. His emerald eyes softened as he looked down at her delicate face.
And then that moment happened.
Orihime's eyes snapped open and she heard him. It was as if Ulquiorra's very body were speaking volumes to her. Passion, grief, and regret leaked from his soul and spilled into her, filling every empty crevice Ichigo had split open in her heart. She felt Ulquiorra relax on top of her, his arms nudging the sheets as he scooped them under her back to hold her. The way Ulquiorra pressed his forehead against hers and kissed the tip of her red nose was a motion that seemed to speak to her the most beautiful words he had ever heard from him:
I'm sorry.
It was during that moment that Orihime's empty and broken heart had healed and was now full of the raven-haired Espada who was now brushing his nose along the curve of her cheeks, his lips skimming against her heated skin.
"Are you afraid of me… Orihime?"
"I'm… happy, Ulquiorra."
And she smiled once more. Genuine and pure.
I absolutely hate OCs, but I had to put someone in there to make this work out haha.
I shall assure you that this is NOT the main climax. Aizen has yet to execute his purpose in this story~
Please leave a review! It only takes a few seconds to make this little author very happy!
