Dark Nights

Chapter 10: How to Be Unexpected.

Rukia's POV:

As much as I wanted to stay with my new found dog (that had an incredible resemblance to Toshiro) and the orange haired loser, I couldn't bring myself to say "no" to Orihime. She was my friend and I could at least sacrifice one measly date since I practically snatched the love of her life away.

(By the way, apparently the love of her life was Ichigo, so I don't know how she got the idea that he loved me! Puhh.)

But even so, I'm not innocent at saying I never tried to get Ichigo's attention.

I did.

I always wanted attention, even if I denied that. There was something that lured me to the spotlight, even if I ended up to the most terrible and ridiculous things to my friends. But I guess the part of loving people, is that you have to slow down and wait for them to catch up, even if you miss your chance at something big.

Somehow, I ended up learning that lesson.

"Orihime, I think we got stood up."

Orihime was already in tears and boogers, sobbing over the fact our dates never showed up to the restaurant they told us to come to. (By "us" I mean Orihime) "No... No... *sniff* No..." she whaled shaking her head side to side. "He promised! H-He told me to come here! He said he'd be here!" She refused to face the truth.

I patted her back, a bit grateful they bailed and a bit angry that they stood us up, probably for some sluttier girls too. "Come on Orihime, I sure those guys were just a bunch of skirt-chasers and aren't even worth it!" I said triumphantly. "For all we know they could be kissing Karma's ass and still get what they deserve, just watch, all the playa shit they do will smack 'um in the face and they end up with a pregnant whore on life support that just became disowned!" I said already picturing the guys miserably crying (even If I didn't have a clue of what they looked like.)

"Nice to know you think so highly of us." said a rather mature voice echoed by a rather immature laugh.

I just heard Orihime scream in excitement and I didn't even want to bother opening my eyes.

"Omygod, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow you made it! I'm so excited! For a moment there I thought you bailed on us but then I was like 'No, they wouldn't do that!' "She cheered gratefully as a let out a frustrated sigh

The mature voice gave a triumphant sound and I could tell he was looking at me. "Looks like I burst you friends bubble, she was already about to curse my name to hell," he said and I opened my eyes in a flash, purple meeting green, both creating a contest with each other.

"Well, even if I wanted to curse you name to hell, I couldn't, I don't even know your name." I said back in anger. "And it's probably not worth mentioning either."

"Ok Miss. Competitor, now will you get your foot off the table, we wanna eat ya' know." he said back, and this time it was going straight for me.

"I'm sorry, I don't talk to strangers."

"Ooohhh~ I'm taking feisty here Ulqui-chan," the other friend cut, nudging his way into the booth in front of me.

Ulquiorra finally realized our childish play and tried to play cool, blowing it off. "Whatever..." he muttered sliding in front of Orihime. He caught my eye, and that's when I finally got a good look at them. And it almost scared me. Maybe it was his vampire pale skin (but even Kaien has more color than him) or his pitch black hair, were slightly contrasting giving him that evil-dark look, but his eyes almost looked dead.

In fact, when we were gambling with each other there seemed to be more life in his eyes than now.

"Nuisance."

Oh ya, I almost forgot he was still complaining about me.

I ignored his comment, pretending to be the nice young adult that I rarely am. So instead, I decide to pay attention to what my "supposed" date looked like, trying to analyze him to the core. The first thing I noticed was his icy blue hair, and electric blue eyes that match his persona perfectly. He had a sharp face, one of which should belong to a motorcyclist. And he was most defiantly tall, and skinny, but a secret wielder of an eight pack just like Ichigo. (Not that I ever saw Ichigo naked or anything.)

"Damn, would you stop starring at me, I'm flattered and all, but calm down, don't go stripping me down already." he said with a satisfied smirk. "There will be plenty of time for that later."

"PLEASE" I said making sure the word stuck to him closely. "If I want to sleep with an asshole I would already be pregnant with a freak'n wolf-baby" I said bringing up Toshiro's attitude. "And I am most defiantly not fat."

"Could've fooled me." That was Ulquiorra, sipping his little cup of tea so gracefully.

"JACK ASS!"

"Rukia!" Orihime scolded just like the good mother should. "Would you calm down already, please, do you really want to start that again?" she said. "If you wanted to win a feud too badly you should've stayed with Kurosaki-kun."

I felt like a slap of reality hit me across the face. By 'that' she meant stealing her all time crush again and snagging him for me. The two guys didn't even sit down and I was already trying to steal them away. This is what I meant by being addicted to the spotlight, without even realizing it, I was grabbing all the attention for myself, I was stealing Orihime's spotlight, and just because Ichigo wasn't here to fill my attention span up, I had to go find some more. How terrible of a friend I must be.

I sat down and stared at my hands that I placed on my lap. "I'm sorry Orihime." I said sincerely. "I didn't mean too."

I didn't have to see her to know she was smiling at me with gratitude. "I know, Kuchiki-san."

Ulquiorra seem to ignore of small side chatter, quickly putting down his now empty cup and allowing his eyes to slide towards my own, his pupils merely slits, trying to grab the deepest part of me and steal it away.

And he almost did.

"So do you have hobbies Kuchiki?" Ulquiorra asked, resting his chin on his hands pretending to be interested.

'Save it dude, you're not fooling me.'

"No not really," then I remembered Orihime hadn't made any conversation and I decide to give the floor to her. "But Orihime is a full time Cheerleader."

"But you must do something."

'Hello, get the clue dude, talk to her!'

"Well I'm not an open book or anything, but I usually fallow the crowed and do what other people want to do. I'm like a little pet dog." I said, almost proud to call myself a dog.

"I have a hard time believing that."

'Damn, this guy won't give up!'

I cringed, uneasy on the topic and wonder what Orihime was thinking of me now. 'Urgh... this bites.' I wanted to slam my head on the table. Then I remembered that I still had the other guy, Grimmjow. "And Grimmjow," He turned his attention to me as I flatly ignored Ulquiorra's comment. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Chase down chicks."

All my good-sided thoughts of him was quickly flushed down the drain. "Figures, you're useless." I said plainly unimpressed.

"Bitch."

"Botch."

"What?"

"Botch." I said again. "You know, a boy-bitch, a botch." I said with a smile.

"I'm pretty sure only you would say a thing like that." Grimmjow said and I already felt that I grabbed all his attention, but I didn't want to look at Ulquiorra, after all I ignored his question, and he was probably peeved at me.

"Umm... Ulquiorra-kun, I wanted to know... Um... I mean... I was wondering if you were into sports or... anything..." she asked nervously, and I'm pretty sure she wasn't trying to act like the shy girl after she saw how lively he was acting with me.

"No, don't really." was all he said.

'Wuss.' was what I REALLY wanted to say at the time, but I bit my tongue; this was Orihime's moment.

"Ohh..."

'Come on Orihime say something else!' I flustered, trying to not show it, but I saw pretty sure I was failing at it since Grimmjow kept on staring at me with a almost worried look.

I covered my feeling with a smirk, grabbing Grimmjow's giant hand with both of my miniature one's and leaned in close saying softly. "Don't go stripping me down already; there will be plenty of time for that later."

Grimmjow lashed back in blush removing his hand from mine as he tried to regain his breath. I just laughed out loud mocking him. "Bitch!" he finally said.

I smiled. "Oh please, I was just messing with you."

This is when I took a daring glance and Ulquiorra who was looking back at me, his look changing from pissed to surprised before he looked back at Orihime. Was he getting jealous?

"Uhh... Kuchiki were you at that dance?" Grimmjow asked tapping the table with his hand.

"Call me Rukia," I said and "As a matter of fact I was at the dance, I was just a bit busy when I saw an old friend of mine." I said.

"Busy? Like actually doing it? or just making out?" he asked perplexed.

I tensed up with blush racing across my face. "No, No No, nothing like that," I said putting my arms in a 'X' form "We were just catching up, you know, on stuff that's been happening in our lives." I said nervously.

Grimmjow stayed in awe, his jaw slightly dropped making a small "Uhh..." sound. Then he broke out laughing. "Wow you're really a little, innocent, baby girl!" he laughed. "There's nothing badass about you except for your mouth!" he said.

It was my turn to stare at him in disbelief. "A... A baby girl?" I repeated shocked that he used such words.

A loud cough broke the laughter, and it belonged to Ulquiorra. He played innocent and looked at me straight in the eyes "I'm sorry I interrupted something didn't I? How embarrassing." he said his eyes sliding from me to Grimmjow and giving him a long serious glare.

"Not a problem," Grimmjow said not flinching.

And I suddenly felt hungry.

"Orihime, would you call the waiter, I'm starving." I said. And Orihime did so, and we talked to out dates the rest of the dinner, but somehow I felt like Ulquiorra was trying to put a leash on me and make me his lap dog, he was always trying to start a conversation, but I would always try to push it towards Orihime, knowing I shouldn't be stealing her spotlight.

"Orihime~" Grimmjow whined, "I'm so full! I can't even stand up correctly, can you give me a hug~" he asked holding out his arms in reach for Orihime.

We were all outside the restaurant under the out-reach roof, already about to part ways, except we couldn't get anywhere because it was raining. Streets and sidewalks were flooded and the grey cloudy sky was too depressing to watch.

"Grimmjow stop teasing!" Orihime wailed in delight slightly putting a hand on his chest and patting it.

I, on the other hand, was stuck with Ulquiorra who was staring at the ground with me. "Hey," I said. "The sky looks so depressing doesn't it?" I said softly. "I almost don't even want to look at it." I said.

Ulquiorra focused his attention on me. "Oh, so now you decide to talk to me." he glared his forest green slits closing in on my giant purple orbs.

I froze in place, a chills running down my spine, 'Damn, I'm caught,' I said and finally mustard up the courage to answer him. "I... I'm sorry, but I-"

I couldn't speak anymore, a shock of electricity seemed race from the ground to my body and I could hear the ground tear apart, cracking from its core. I'm pretty sure Ulquiorra heard it too because as soon as the ground cracked open and broke itself from under us I was in a strangers arms -arms that didn't belong to Toshiro or Ichigo- and being carried away.

"Orihime!" Was all I managed to say as air stole away my words. Ulquiorra held me tight against his chest and gracefully running away almost as if he was running on air itself. "Grimmjow's got her don't worry." and I could feel his hand hold my head up into his chest, even if he was a total stranger, I felt like he really wanted to protect me, a feeling only Toshiro or Ichigo would give me.

Once he found a safe place for us to stay (which was somewhere deep in the woods under a large oak tree), he explained to me, something I thought would never come out of his mouth.

"I worked for AURA."

'shit... How do I end up running into these guys!'

"But a few days ago I figured out what was going on with the organization, so I quite, and now there looking for me, Grimmjow still doesn't know, but I was going to tell his later." he said. "That's beside the point though, now there looking for me."

'I think... that's a good thing...'

I looked at Ulquiorra. "So dirt is trying to kill you now?" I asked.

He smirked like I was stupid and I couldn't say that question wasn't in the stupid area. "No, that was another AURA worker, there trying to take me in." he said.

I nodded, feeling my heart ache a bit, I want to be just as honest as he was to me, but could I really trust a stranger just like that? "Ulquiorra," I said softly still unsure whether to trust him or not. "I need to tell you something too." Looks like I didn't need permission from my brain to spit of the words.

"Oh ya," he said with a smirk. "Well it can't be worst than my announcement." he said.

I gave him a weak smile. "I'm not so sure about that," I looked at him dead in the eye. "Ulquiorra, I-"

"Don't tell me you already fell in love with me." he said a smile running across his face.

Blush hit me at the speed of light and I felt my insides jerk around. "NO!" I shouted. "That wasn't what I was going to say at all!" I wanted to smack the smug smirk off his face so bad.

But I have to give him thanks for cutting me off, It might not be such a good idea if I told him the truth about me being a human.

Ulquiorra tilted his head sitting down and laying back on the tree. "So are you gonna tell me or did I hit it right on the nail and get to keep you all for myself?" He asked playing with a strand of my hair.

I smacked his hand away. "No way, I'm not going to tell you now." I said crossing my arms. "and I am NOT in love with you." I said. "Far from it actually."

Ulquiorra gave me a triumphant sound. "Hmph. You know you never did answer my question about why you ignored me all dinner." He said. "You at least own me an explanation for that, that is if you don't want to tell me you other secret."

He was right, I did owe him an explanation for ignoring him. "Please don't tell Orihime I told you this, but she has a REALLY big crush on you and I just felt SO bad when I started stealing both yours And Grimmjow's attention. So I bit my tongue and started ignoring you so she could have a decent conversation." I said truthfully.

"Wow." he said and I made a quick search for his eyes. "You bit your tongue for me. Was it that difficult for you to stay away?" he asked.

I glared at him, my heart aching like I was pierced by a demon. "Asshole!" I said. "Orihime really likes you and that's all you can say?" I felt like he had just crushed my insides. "You know what, I'll find my own way out of this gawdforsaken forest, and I hope you have a date with you freak'n stalker!" and I got up and stomp away leaving Ulquiorra to himself.

I was lost.

It was dark.

And I was hungry.

"Damn that Ulquiorra." I cursed. "Did he even have feeling for Orihime? Did he just play her?" I shouted into the forest. "that ASSHOLE!" I felt tears edge my eyes. 'and it's my fault, I'm the one who lead him on...'

"I'm so stupid."

"Kuchiki."

I didn't want to turn around. I didn't want to face him. It felt like my heart would die and crumble into dust in his hands if I looked at his emotionless face. He was dead cold, and he didn't care for others as long as he got what he wanted!

"Kuchiki." he said again his voice sending chills down my body. "Look at me."

How could I?

'Should I run?' I asked myself. 'I can't face him.'

And I didn't need to.

"Kuchiki."

He was in front of me even before I thought about running.

"Kuchiki, I'm sorry." he said, cold and deep just like his eyes. "I said stupid things without thinking. I'm not sure why though, maybe it was because I got jealous of you and Grimmjow having such a good time, or maybe it was because I just felt like being a jerk, but I realized I crossed the line. I shouldn't have bad mouth your friend."

I felt it all come out at once. My emotions went into overdrive and I couldn't hold it in. I was just recovering from a broken heart, when a friend that I thought would never leave me, leaves me, and I end up chasing after that jerk. Then I end up falling into darkness, hurting the first person to ever have broken my heart, and now I end up maturing so fast that I can't own some attention anymore! And now some stranger was just saying sorry just like that!

I broke down to my knees. "Ulquiorra." I said his name foreign to my mouth. "I almost lost Orihime a long time ago, and I feel that if I steal the one thing she loves again, I won't be able to live with myself." I said

Ulquiorra sighed. "You know what, I think that Orihime has a even bigger crush of Grimmjow than me." he said. "But I must admit, you are the first person ever, to make me feel so lively."

I looked up at him his eyes, for the first time, showing sadness and gratitude at the same time. He even had a crack in between his lips that curved into a smile. "Ulquiorra, you have a very nice smile."

"Kuchiki, I can't believe you just said that."

"Call me Rukia."

"Rukia, I can't believe you just said that."

"Shuddup and get me out of this forest."

XXX

Ulquiorra and I walked the path out of the forest, even if there wasn't one. And we joked at each other's faults, a thing Toshiro and I would do, and even if my heart wasn't completely full, Ulquiorra was able to at least fill up half of it, the other half still belonging to the one fool that vanished from my life.

"Will you make out with me?"

This question didn't really take me by surprise since it was more random that actually shocking. "Sorry I only make out with guys that have eight packs." I said peering at him with a challenge that I was sure he wouldn't pass off.

"Well I have a nine pack, wanna start a family?" Ulquiorra asked putting his arms around me, my body about half the size of his.

I laughed and pushed him away. "How'd you get a nine pack?"

Ulquiorra smiled. "My penus."

I couldn't help but laugh at his retardedness. "That does not count."

"Hey, Rukia, where are you planning on going when we actually find a way out of this place." Ulquiorra asked a bit quietly very cautious at choosing his words.

"I'm going to continue to look for my friend."

"Huh? Do you mean Orihime?" He asked a bit puzzled by what I meant.

I gave him a smile and a side to side shake of my head. "No." I said putting a closed hand over my heart. "Not Orihime, another friend of mine. He's reckless and is a ass like you," I said and Ulquiorra gave me a displeased look. "but he's been there for me when I thought I was on the verge of insanity, and now he's gone to his home place, leaving me a wreck again." I said.

Ulquiorra nodded getting a good idea of what I meant. "Tell me, what's his name?" He asked as we continued walking.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya." I said letting his full name come off my tongue. It felt good to talk about him, I guess, It had been so long that I was actually burdening myself more trying not to think of him. "He got himself lost." I said "and as his friend, it's my job to find him."

Ulquiorra must've got a bit of what I meant because he actually gave me a considerate smile back. "You must be close."

"More than I thought." I said truthfully.

"Any other competition that I should know about?" Ulquiorra asked watching me contently.

I looked up at him with a confused look, but once I saw his eyes I knew what he meant and I gave him a challenging smile back. "Actually, if you must know, there is Ichigo." I said holding my head up high.

"Ichigo?" Ulquiorra said a bit quickly but regained his calm physique. "And who might he be, someone special?"

"Oh yes," I said peering towards him as I overdid the roll of the words. "He's been my friend since childhood, so don't be jealous if we get along too great, it's something you gradually earn over time." I said twisting my hand in a circular motion.

"Oh really?" he said a bit too happy. "And what makes you think I'm coming back with you?" he asked. "For all I know you could rape me." he said crossing his arms.

"R-rape?" I asked dumbfound.

He gave me and airy laugh. "Well, care to explain yourself stranger?" He asked peering back down at me with a smug grin on his pale face.

I quickly tried to regain my attitude. "Well I just didn't think a bounty man like you had a place to stay." I said.

"So I'm a man now? Nice to know I'm going up in ranks." He said.

My face flushed all at once, 'I didn't mean it like that!'. "Would you stop twisting my words around? I'm just askn' if you wanted to travel with us for a while!" I said frustrated that he was so immature.

"Ok."'

"What?"

"I'll travel with you." He said and took a long pause. "You know all you had to do was ask."

"I give up."

All I heard was a snicker but I didn't dare look at Ulquiorra, I was afraid too. I mean it's not like he was mad at me or anything, I guess I was just being shy, it was like my whole body would flash some huge alerts if we got to close.

Ulquiorra must've felt the same way because his mood dropped again into some angry, depressed state. His cold aura seemed deadly if I got near and I didn't bother to make gestures because I didn't want to face his forest green eyes.

"There."

I jumped out of my skin out the sound of his voce. "W-wha?" I asked, my eye's meeting his as he gave me a strange look.

"The exit." he pointed straight. "It's over there."

I sighed embarrassed of how foolish I made myself.

"Aww... does the midget want to stay in the forest with me and me alone?" he asked sarcastically a smirk on his pale face. "Don't worry, my offer still stands on having that family." He said putting a hand on my head.

I slapped his hand away. "Don't get ahead of yourself, that's not what I meant at all." I said.

"Oh come on, I was just kidding," he said. "So how far do you think your friend with be from the exit?" He asked.

I froze. "Uhh... I never thought about that." I said truthfully. "Actually I just figured that Ichigo would sense me and just pick me up, scolding me all the way home." I said really thinking about it.

"Well that's defiantly NOT going to happen!" Ulquiorra shouted throwing his hands in the air.

"You don't think I know that!"

"Well you certainly went along with that plan until I said something about it!"

"Hmm... Honestly, I think she couldn't be farther from being right."

I paused admiring the orange haired figure standing in front up us, contently giving me a all knowing grin. I walked up to him, Ulquiorra staying behind, and kept my eyes fixed to the ground. "Why the hell did you spy on me!" I shouted smacking Ichigo across the face.

Even Ulquiorra gasp.

"Hey you little midget the lease you could do is be grateful!" Ichigo shouted grabbing the side of his face that I hit.

"You're the one who should mind your own business!" I shouted right back at him.

"Oh great." he said crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "I come trying to be a hero and I end up punching bag." He said turning around and walking away "The campsite is a few blocks ahead." he said angrily.

I looked up grabbing Ichigo's shirt from behind. "Thank you." I mumbled. "I don't know what I would do without you." I said softly, something only he could hear.

"Ya, well, I wouldn't be here if I didn't know that."

XXX

The campsite wasn't as far as I had imagine, and Ichigo had done a fairly good job of setting all three tents up, along with the logs that surrounded the unlit campfire. .

"Three?" I asked looking up at Ichigo. "Where's Ulquiorra gonna sleep?" I asked as barking came from one of the closed tents. My attention went towards the ruckus and I quickly made my way over, letting my poor puppy out.

"Well one of us will always be on watch so we'll just share a tent." Ichigo explained.

I sooth the excited dog, sweeping my fingers though his soft, clean fur. Then I gave a glare to Ichigo. "Dammit Ichigo how could you lock Snowflake #2 away like that! The poor think must've been scared all this time."

Ichigo grimaced. "I doubt that... and weren't you paying attention to what I was saying at all?"

I ignored his question.

Ulquiorra's shadow appeared next to me as he closely examined the pup. I noticed and faced him with a smile, holding Snowflake #2 up close to him. "Cute right?" I said as Snowflake #2 started to growl at Ulquiorra, fidgeting in my arms.

Ulquiorra made a sour face. "Vermin."

I put Snowflake #2 in one arm and slapped Ulquiorra across the head with the other. "Go look in a mirror!" I shouted as I stopped over to a tent that I claimed as my own. "No one come in or I'll smack the shit out of you!" I exclaimed closing the opening with a screech of the zipper and plopping down on the mat with Snowflake #2 curling up next to me.

I stared into the young pup's eyes, petting in on the head as it licked my wrist. "Goodnight Snowflake." I muttered under my breath finally catching a goodnights rest.

Outside of the tent Ichigo looked at the new found member. "She's not kidding." he said sitting on one of the logs and starting the campfire (but he was really just poking at it since he had no idea how to start a man made fire). "So, where did the midget pick you off of?" he said starting a conversation.

It seemed like it had been forever since I last woke up, but somehow I found myself face to face with familiar stranger; and it was no less than the white haired thief who stole my healing heart.

Authors Note: haha I like this chapter! Finally Ulquiorra makes his appearance! Heh, I wonder what's gonna happen when Rukia wakes up!

Till next chappy.

Bye~