Ookami no Garasukage
A/N: OMG I am so sorry that I haven't updated in forever. It's just that I had a huge bout of writers block, plus I've also been too lazy to write. Add in the fact that I just got a job which leaves me with absolutely no energy to even lift up a pencil let alone write a chapter. But never fear because I do plan on finishing this-and all my other stories. I won't give up! Updates will probably be slow, depending on my mood. Anywhoo, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm currently saving up to buy myself a laptop so I can write without sneaking down to use the computer.
Also, I realized that there wasn't much Ulquiorra/Shiori moments at all so I decided to write a little bit. I apologize if Ulquiorra is a bit OOC. I just couldn't get this scene out of my head. And it was too tempting not to write. There will be more to come; I just wanted to start sometime.
Chapter 11
Shiori's POV
I rushed over to the 1st Divison barracks, with a tray of food in my hands being careful not to drop anything in my haste as I went. After my spar with Sakura, I had completely forgotten about my obligations. It was nearing noon and I still hadn't taken Ulquiorra his meal. Not that he ever even touched any of it but still. I still went to take his meals down to him because it was my duty and well I had to make sure that nothing unfortunate had happened to Ulquiorra in my absence. Like in those first days that he was left in my care when those shinigami from the 11th Division had beaten him within an inch of his life. And he hadn't done anything to protect himself.
So. I also wanted to make sure that he was still in one piece and make sure his injuries were healed properly. I felt horrible knowing that he had gotten hurt while under my care. I don't really know why I even cared so much, I mean he was an Arrancar; an Espada. He was an enemy. And I shouldn't be concerned about what happened to him, should I? But my commitment as a Soul Reaper, and a lieutenant was why I couldn't let up. I would continue to watch Ulquiorra until Yamamoto-taichou ordered otherwise.
"Sorry, I'm late, Cifer-san. I should have come by earlier but I forgot." I managed to say as I half-ran into the holding cell where Ulquiorra was. I was out of breath so I took a moment to catch my breath. I placed the tray of food on the small table nearby along with the first aid kit that Unohana-taichou had graciously provided as passed the 4th Division barracks earlier. She had smiled at me and told me something about needing this. I hadn't understood what she had meant but accepted it nonetheless. "It's just that Yamamoto-taichou allowed Sakura-chan to train so I was her opponent."
"You shouldn't close the cell door." Was all Ulquiorra said just as I was about to close the very cell door he warned me not to close. "It's not a good idea."
"Why not?" I asked not quite understanding what Ulquiorra meant. "Yamamoto-taichou told me that I was to be careful when I came here. So I have to close the door."
"I don't think that's what he meant. He's not worried about me escaping because he knows there are plenty of Shinigami capable of dealing with me if I tried."
"I'm afraid I don't follow...What do you mean?" I asked as I looked up at Ulquiorra who was taller than I was. It was then that I realized just how close he was standing to me.
Just as suddenly as he had appeared next to me, he took me by the neck and pushed me against the bars of the cell. His grip on me didn't hurt but it did feel uncomfortable. I couldn't felt but shiver as his cool hand came in contact with my skin.
"Don't you understand how easily I could kill you? One little twist of your neck and you could be dead. I could simply rip your heart out from inside your chest."
I stared at him. I knew that I should be afraid of him but I wasn't. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. At least I thought so. He would be jeopardizing Sakura if he did and from what I could tell, he felt strongly about the pink haired girl. I didn't know why that for some reason thatmade me feel uncomfortable.
"I don't think you would hurt me." I told him with confidence. In response, Ulquiorra's grip grew harder but I didn't flinch.
"You're wrong. I can hurt you. I could kill you right now and not feel the slightest remorse over doing so." He said as his piercing green eyes stared into my own with a cold calculating gaze. In that moment when his eyes were on me, I felt very insignificant and very self-conscious.
"But you won't. Because if you wanted to kill me than you would have done so. I'm not strong enough to fight you. But you haven't killed me which makes me think you won't." I replied confidently, ignoring the fact that he was still holding me by the throat, pining me against the bars of the cell. It was a stupid, reckless thing to do but I couldn't stop myself from saying it anyway.
"Don't grow to confident, girl. Just because I haven't, doesn't mean I couldn't or wouldn't kill you. You are after all a Shinigami." With that said he let me go and turned away. "It's safer for you not to come here by yourself. Because I don't have to kill you to break you. No, I could do far worse things to you to break your spirit and it would be all too easy than just killing you."
I gulped, realizing that he wasn't joking. He was an Espada after all and I didn't doubt that he couldn't find another way to torture me but I didn't want to think about that now. Not only because I knew he could kill me if he so wanted but because I didn't like how he was looking at me. Or how close he was. Or that I could feel his breath on my face. Or that his mouth was dangerously close to mine. Close enough that if I moved, our lips would touch. Well, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that part because Ulquiorra totally looked like the type to be excellent in kissing...Wait, did I just think that? I mentally kicked myself for thinking about how great Ulquiorra, an Espada, I thought was at kissing.
"I suppose you're right. But I don't think you'll do anything that would jeopardize Sakura. She is important to you. Or at least she is the only one you trust here. I noticed that you were very protective of her. What is she to you?" I answered finally after a moment or two of silence.
"That is none of your concern." He replied and I knew that the conversation was over.
Before either one of us could say anything further, Ulquiorra collapsed in a fit of coughs. I immediately went to his aid but he refused my aid. He didn't want me to come any closer to him but I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Damn it, he was under my care and I would be damned if I let him die under my watch. For some reason, I felt panic surge within me. It was an indescribable feeling that surged through my heart. All I could think of was that I couldn't fail to save Ulquiorra like I had failed to save him, my little brother Shiro. I couldn't even remember how he looked like. His face was blurred in the few memories I had of him. I could only remember his eyes that were the same color as mine, in that last moment before I died.
I didn't know why bits and pieces of my human life were suddenly flashing before my eyes. I remembered that a hollow had attacked our home and killed everyone. I didn't know what happened to him because I had woken up in the Rukon District, For all I knew, my brother could have survived or he was dead like me living somewhere in the Soul Society or had become a Hollow. Or worse yet-his soul devoured by that hollow that killed me. Regardless of whatever fate had become of him, I still had failed to save him. And I carried that guilt in my heart.
No. I couldn't think of this now. It hurt too much. It was like pouring salt on an open wound. And Ulquiorra needed medical attention. Despite his refusal to accept my help, I helped him anyway. Once he was seated, I began checking to make sure that he wasn't in any grave danger. Before his and Sakura's capture, I knew he had been healing from whatever had left him in this condition. From what Sakura had told me, his internal organs had taken a great deal of damage and were slowly healing-albeit slowly. But now that he was imprisoned and had been viciously beaten by members of my former division, the healing process had slowed significantly and I felt that my medical abilities were only hindering instead of helping.
"Ulquiorra, please. I know that you don't trust me but you have to let me help you. I told him. My voice faltered slightly. Or I could go get someone with better medical abilities."
Ulquiorra remained silent and impassive, which I took as acceptance on his part. I sat down beside him and carefully undid his white jacket to make sure the wounds on his chest and abdomen were healing. I blushed as I always did when I had to heal Ulquiorra. Despite putting on the façade that I didn't care, it was hard not to appreciate Ulquiorra's lean and muscled body. I was still only a girl after all.
But as soon as I noticed the bloody bandages, I controlled myself. His wounds must have reopened when he was threatening me. I immediately went to work on healing him as best as I could and changing his bandages for fresh clean ones from the first aid kit that Unohana-taichou had given me. How had she known I would need it? Intuition, perhaps. Well whatever the reason, it had come in handy.
"Stupid. You shouldn't have exerted yourself just now. Not just to warn me that you are dangerous." I mumbled, mostly to myself because Ulquiorra looked as if he were about to pass out. Despite not being human, he was still healing from injuries that would have killed one. And he was still under my care so I wouldn't let anything else happen to him. Not if I could do anything about it. Although I couldn't understand what was it that made me want to help him in the first place but I guessed it was because I didn't like to see anyone suffer, regardless if they were human, Soul Reaper or even an Espada.
Once I was done, I had to make sure that Ulquiorra ate and then helped him to rest on the futon that was brought in. I decided that I would ask Yamamoto-taichou for permission to allow Sakura to tend to him or to transfer him to the 9th Division Barracks. It would be easier for me to keep closer eye on him if he was in my Divison.
As I took my handkerchief and wiped the corners of his mouth of blood, I sensed another reiatsu. Looking up, I noticed Rangiku looking over at me with a mischievous look decorating her features.
"I'm sorry, but am I interrupting something?" She said as her smile grew more pronounced. "Because if I am, I can totally come back later."
It was then that I noticed what she was seeing. A seemingly half naked Arrancar lying back slightly on the futon with me sitting close too with my hand lying on said Arrancar's chest. Yeah, the whole scene didn't look good and especially not with someone with a wild, slightly perverted imagination that Rangiku Matsumoto had.
"It's not what you think?" I blurted out.
Rangiku just smiled, raising her eyebrow. Oh great, now convincing her that I wasn't doing anything bad was going to be quite difficult. As if my life wasn't complicated enough.
A/N: Well, I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. It was interesting to write. It was fun to explore more on Shiori's character because she is still kind of innocent. She didn't really realize that Ulquiorra, being much stronger than she was could have not only killed her but he could have done more. Like he said, there are worse things he could have done to her. At the same time, she isn't because she was sort of thinking about how good a kisser Ulquiorra was. She is young but at the same time she isn't. And Ulquiorra is also an interesting character because he hardly conveys emotion. This chapter was hard because I tried to stay in character as much as possible but at the same time not so much. I will try to update soon but I won't make any promises. I have the weekends off but sometimes, I'll have to work Saturdays (if mandatory) and I don't know if I'll have time to write.
Hopefully the next update won't take as long. I am hoping more development in both the Hitsu/Saku and Ulqui/Shiori relationships in the next few chapters. I just don't want to make them fall in love out of the blue. I do have some fluffy scenes in mind for both couples that I can't wait to write out but some of my ideas may exceed the T rating so I wanted to know if anyone wasn't comfortable with that type of thing. I don't think there will be lemons, since I have never actually written any. But, If there were to be one or two, would you stop reading or would suffice to give some sort of warning? Maybe' I'll just post those separately from the story if I did. Just let me know in a PM or review.