Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
Permanent Marker: Ulquiorra has a melt down in the bathroom and Orihime ruins the moment.
Was he losing his mind?
Ulquiorra stared at his reflection in the luminescence light of the boys' bathroom. The room was tiny with a lone sink and a matching toilet and urinal. The latter was dripping so loudly that the sound oddly reminded him of the 1966 American Batman Series theme song.
Banging his head in frustration, Ulquiorra tried to focus on the song. He tried to focus on his favorite food - chocolate - or the fact that he didn't like broccoli or spiders or the fact that he was going to be in the Academic Club with Orihime for the first time in only a couple of hours.
Despite all of his flashing thoughts, everything kept circling around to the thunderstorm and what he thought - no what he was sure - was a hollow lurking outside. Clenching his fist, Ulquiorra stared at his reflection, the bags under his eyes were more pronounced but other than that there was no physical change to his person.
He felt unstable. He felt blurred. The hollow left him shaken and questioning his sanity. After the incident in the hospital, his previously life in Hueco Mundo had dominated his memory and personality. Since then the memories had faded and the fragments had merged with his current and much more happy life and identity.
The hollow sighting had ruined it all.
Slowly, he began to unbutton his white shirt.
A loud pounding on the bathroom door interrupted his thoughts. Of course there was no lock and a moment later Grimmjow burst in.
"The sign says 'occupied," Ulquiorra told him tonelessly. Was that really how he use to sound?
"Dude, what the heck are you doing in here? There's a line outside!" the five year old grunted and then he did a double take at Ulquiorra who was now staring at his bare chest with his shirt undone.
"What gives batman? Old man Yamamoto is going to get mad if you start undressing."
Ulquiorra stared unblinking.
"Is nothing sacred in this world?" he asked bleakly. Even if he had to start life again as child, even if he was looked down upon and occasionally thrust into the odd and ridiculous situation, even if half of his peers were his enemies in a different life - it wasn't supposed to be dangerous. This life was suppose to be about peace.
"What are you talking about!?" Grimmjow demanded.
"There wasn't supposed to be any hollows," Ulquiorra spoke very quietly. Grimmjow had no idea what he was talking about.
"Is this about the storm? You've been acting weird since last night," he tried. Confused, he watched as Ulquiorra pulled a black sharpie out of his pocket and slowly drew a circle in the center of his chest.
"Was it all a lie…. why am I even here, Grimmjow?" Ulquiorra asked bleakly as he slowly started shading in the circle until at last it was completely colored in.
"Dude…" the five year old started as he stared morbidly at the black hole.
"Orihime you can't go in there! That is the boys' bathroom!"
A moment later Orihime burst into the room, swinging on the door wildly with Ichigo reluctantly following after her.
"I can't believe you're going to be in the language club with me tonight! Ichigo's excited too!" Orihime screeched. Everyone instinctively covered their ears. The vulnerable position left Ichigo completely unguarded to Orihime's rib elbow.
"Isn't that right?" Orihime demanded and gave Ichigo the stink eye.
"Ooomph! Alright! Alright! Yes we're all excited," he exclaimed with much less enthusiasm.
An awkward silence followed as everyone to turned to stare at Ulquiorra's sharpie shaded hole on his chest.
Feeling somewhat vulnerable, Ulquiorra started to button up his shirt. However the jitters got the better of him and the sharpie in his hand slowed his progress considerably. He was only half way up fastening his shirt when Orihime marched over.
Ulquiorra was startled when he saw the Woman's puffy cheeks and irritated frown. Before he knew what was happening, the four year old had snatched the marker out of his hand.
"You drew it wrong," she huffed. Ulquiorra jumped again when the cold sensation of the marker slithered around his chest.
"... after all this time… he'd learned… where did I go wrong…" Orihime muttered under her breath as she drew on Ulquiorra's chest. Behind them Ichigo and Grimmjow watched in bafflement as Orihime finished up her doodle.
"There!" she exclaimed happily before backing away to admire her artwork.
Ulquiorra stared blankly down at the new drawing on his chest and felt his insecurities melt away. Looking up at Orihime, he smiled as a warm feeling blossomed in his chest.
Everyone startled when the door burst open a second time to reveal the unimpressed frowning visage of their teacher old man Yamamoto.
"This room has a one person limit," he scolded. Another awkward silence followed as Yamamoto turned his attention from Orihime, Ichigo, and Grimmjow, to Ulquiorra and the artwork on his bare chest. It looked like two stick figures holding with one hand in the middle of them something that looked like a giant, two lumped egg.
Feeling vulnerable one more, Ulquiorra crossed his arms.
"It's a heart," he muttered defensively.