"Wait, was that a compliment?" My face heated up, I covered my cheeks feeling somewhat vulnerable without the blanket of hair over my shoulders. I never knew I used it as a security blanket but now that I did it made me nervous for the next time I had to face Aizen. Still it felt good to hear Ulquiorra say that I was strong. I had his approval finally; I finally felt like I earned his respect.
"Simply stating the obvious. Finish your meal and heal yourself. There will be a short meeting with Aizen very soon." This wasn't the norm. I was usually told the night before and then was dolled up the next morning. Was I in trouble? "Szayel has sent in the report from yesterday. Aizen requests to see you to assure your well-being." I let out a sigh of relief. "Eat and heal yourself. Aizen is waiting."
"I'll eat." I start eating, looking down at my plate hoping that he wouldn't ask me to heal myself again. I wanted to keep my bruises, feel the pain and have the reminder of my strength. I feel like I need at least that to face Aizen since I don't have my hair to hide behind.
"And then you will heal yourself." The tone of his voice sent shivers down my spine, it reminded me of my dream. I look up at him to see an empty look in his eyes. I felt a pain in my chest; he looked so… dead.
I lick my lips out of nervousness unsure if I was making the right decision or not. I diverted my eyes away as I committed to my choice. "What if I don't?" His eyes became more and more like a dark void with every second that he stared me down. Felt my stomach drop and my heart flutter in fear, it was like looking into the deep unknown of the universe and it shook every cell in my body. I started to sweat and my breathing became more erratic and labored, I felt as though I was a deer in head lights.
Finally after what seemed like a million years later he blinks and his eyes have their usual calculating yet nonchalant demeanor. "Come" he muttered before beginning to walk without me. Without worrying about my unfinished meal I hastily jog to catch up with him but could tell just from his body language that he was blocking me off emotionally again. I felt as though we have taken one step forward and two steps back. We reached the throne room sooner than I would have liked. As soon as Aizen was able to see my face the air in the room changed. It became heavy and full of the vibrations as if the air was quivering in fear of his anger. Yet he didn't show it on his face, in fact he looked just as complacent as usual. His nonchalant demeanor reminded me a little of Ulquiorra.
I jut my chin out in defiance as he gets up from his throne to walk down towards me. I was waiting for him to say something, do something. He doesn't even look me in the eye though, only cups my face as if inspecting it even though he seems dazed as if he weren't looking at me at all. What was wrong with him? Both of his hands went down my arms making me shiver. He takes my hands into his and looks as if he is weighing the two before taking my right arm into both of his hands and in one swift movement breaks my arm. I let out a yelp less so because of the pain but more so out of surprise. "Don't worry I wouldn't ever let it break through you're beautiful skin. "
He finally looks into my eyes as if looking for tears to come pouring but I didn't allow it. I only stared back as defiantly as I could even though the pain was making my eyes prickle and water. "You will have another punishment since this clearly hasn't taught you anything." To say I was intimidated would be an understatement but it didn't deter me to look away from him. "Perhaps I have been too lenient and that is why you don't fully understand your place here? Perhaps I need to assign you some duties, your defiance has only shown me how spoiled you are amongst everyone else here." I stared at him curiously doing my best to hang on his every word to distract myself from the throbbing of my arm.
He looked behind me and waved for Ulquiorra to come to him. They walked a little ways from me as Aizen whispered in his ear. He made a little hum of approval before both of them finally turned towards me, "Grimmjow was supposed to see me any moment now. My little check up with you wasn't supposed to take nearly as long."
Right on cue the door creaked open, I turned to see Grimmjow enter and mumble, "Here" to announce his presence. His eyes lock with mine before examining my face then looking downward to the arm I was tenderly holding.
"Glad you can make it Sexta. The original matters I wanted to address with you have to wait a moment. Orihime here would like to see a little show." He looked to Aizen and Ulquiorra for a long moment as if they were sending telepathic messages to each other before giving a small nod and walking over to me. When he turned back towards me his eyes stayed on my face but he didn't directly look into my eyes. His scowl was the same much like Ichigos' but his eyes lost their fire and seemed like a dull gem rather than the glitter and shine they would have when he was excited. Why did it seem like everyone here was so good at hiding their emotions except me?
I was too consumed in my thoughts to realize he had gotten behind me but was shook back to reality when he touched my arms and pain shot all the way up to my shoulder. I let out a strained cry, I still didn't want to let Aizen have the pleasure of hearing me scream. Thankfully he moved his hands to my shoulders before holding me firmly in place. I looked over my shoulder to thank him but he was doing everything in his power to completely ignore me. I turn back to look in front of me to see Ulquiorra kneeling on the floor with Aizen standing behind him. My face paled, I wasn't sure what was about to come but I knew it would be horrible. "Don't forget to look into her eyes Cuatro."
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My inner hollow lurched forward making my body flinch if I hadn't been mindful of it I would have ripped her throat out. Doesn't she ever realize how much danger she's in? Her defiance triggers a side of me that I rarely get to see myself. I felt my eyes painfully dilate as images of what my hollow was wishing for came rushing through my body. I felt her warm flesh against my skin as I tore off her clothes, her boiling blood running down my throat as I rip her neck open, her warm core as my length dives into her, her beating, heated heart as I ripped it from her chest, and finally her soul. The soul that my inner hollow was convinced was the sun itself.
I felt a sudden ecstasy run through me, I felt the as though her soul was able to fill my cold emptiness and annihilate me at the same time. I was tempted to go through with it but I knew it wasn't logical. Her blood wouldn't boil like my inner hollow imagined nor would her heart steam and burn my tongue. Her soul is what tempted me. She did have unrivaled love and compassion and somehow I've been convinced that it would make her soul intense enough to both kill me and give ecstasy.
I swallowed as I tried to rid of the sensations my inner hollow forced upon me. I was clearly losing my grip and would have to find an alternative way to handle myself. Perhaps requesting for her to have another keeper was the right option? No time away from her, far away would be best. I will request to be partnered in one of the upcoming missions. After confirming that mentally I blink a few times realizing that we were running late.
"Come" I turn and head out the door knowing she would follow. Soon we were in the throne room and as expected Aizen was unpleased. He walked up to her and for once I wasn't sure what he was going to do. He seemed… off. He broke her arm out of what seemed like amusement more than anything else because he knew her as well as I did and that, that wasn't going to break her spirit. I didn't particularly enjoy her pain but I knew she could handle it after see her in training.
When he called me over I understood what her real punishment would be, he knew I could tell as well so he didn't bother explaining, only whispering in my ear as a show for Orihime. For the first time I felt dread, I knew she wouldn't be able to handle this punishment well.