Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Warning: Heavy manga spoilers.


Ulquiorra, Orihime: Alike Apart

"Eat," he said, emotionless, commanding.

She shook her head. This was the one act of defiance, the one way she could still remain herself, the one way she could say no, no, no, without the destruction of her friends, and Inoue Orihime was nothing if not true to herself. Her stomach growled, loudly.

"Eat," he said, emotionless, insisting.

And this Espada in front of her, who wore a mask of sorrow yet felt nothing, who was he to understand this? A command was a command was a command. As the days went by, she found herself peculiarly affected by his blankness, so like the white, unending walls of her prison. She could not...feel - although that may have been her growing weakness.

"Eat," he said, emotionless, pleading.

She could not be angry at him, just following orders. She could not be scared of the others, following Aizen's orders. She could not cry for her friends, who faded into memory more with each passing day.

"Eat," he said, emotionless, meaningless.

She choked as the food went down her throat; tried to cough it up even though it was like water to a woman in the desert. Her stomach cried out, and eventually won: she ate and, in that moment, looked up to meet his eyes, emotionless.