SALE DEL SOL [The sun rises]
"Ooohhh mmyyyyy goooooooooossshhh!" Orihime cried in delight, then switching gears to overbearing worry as Ulquiorra pulled the wet critter from the inner folds of his coat. "I can hardly believe it! Ulquiorra! Where did you find him? Is he the only one?"
The Espada pulled the rest of his coat off and promptly pulled the wet shirt off as well, leaving him topless, "It was just the one. The mother was killed in an alley not far from here and I found the cub still there hours later."
Orihime bopped the kitten on the nose with one finger before turning to go to the kitchen, "I'm a little surprised you picked it up. I mean...that's so unlike you."
"Don't expect me to make a habit of it. It's just an idle curiosity of mine, and it won't happen again." He answered, grabbing the grocery bags with the amended items, and some new things, and taking it to the kitchen. There, he spotted Orihime running warm water and gently bathing the damp cub, which was mewling pitifully.
"Aw don't worry, little guy. This water is warm." Orihime said, cooing at the creature, "Oohhh I knoooww...I know, I'm sorry...it'll be over in a minute. I just want to get you all clean before you catch cold."
Ulquiorra just watched her carefully, pulling one of the bags closer to the sink, "There was someone at the grocery that told me this cub would need milk replacers for a few more weeks, and then wet kitten food after that, so I grabbed some."
"You did?"
"...The 'someone' handed me all the supplies and wouldn't leave me alone until I bought them."
"How much money is left?"
"Not a lot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the few yen. He could sense the sudden anxiety on Orihime's heart and got a perplexed look on his face, "What's wrong? I still got everything you asked me to."
"That's not it."
"Then what is?"
"I'm relying on money that my aunt sends me. I've never had to ask her for extra before...but I might have to at this rate."
"I see." Ulquiorra muttered, finally grabbing the soul candy from the other pocket and evacuating his Gigai, "Currency...what a ridiculous thing."
The mod soul in the Gigai looked at itself and comically grumbled wordlessly while leaving the room to clean itself up.
"It's not my system, but it's what we both have to deal with here." Orihime said, getting a small towel from the oven handle and drying the kitten off, "Buying all those new clothes and supplies for you, and now this kitten...it's not even the middle of the month yet but we won't be able to spend anymore until after my aunt pays the rent again."
"We could always stay in Las Noches." Ulquiorra suggested, "No money needed in Hueco Mundo."
"In Las Noches..?"
"It would be like before. The palace would simply provide what each of us needs, without needing human funds for it."
"But Las Noches is...?"
"Destroyed? Presently, yes, but in a few weeks, it will be repaired."
"I don't mean that. I mean...it's in another realm. I can't exactly walk there after school."
"I've been coming anyway. It wouldn't be a problem."
"I couldn't put that responsibility on you." Orihime muttered, "What if something happens and you can't come?"
"Then someone else will. I'm not the only Arrancar left in Hueco Mundo; you know that."
"I know, but still." The teen mumbled, rummaging with the can of replacer milk and reading how to prepare it while holding the kitten with her free hand, "Having someone escorting me around or waiting for me after school...it's kind of weird."
"I don't think so. It's no different than how we provided for you before."
"I was a prisoner before." Orihime leveled him a flat sarcastic look.
"The others have taken to calling you the Princesa."
"Princesa?" She repeated, opening the can and scooping out some of the powder into the provided tiny bottle.
"Because of your name...Hime. Princess. That's how they see you now. Caring for you would be something they would do gladly." Ulquiorra informed, "I could simply order an escort. It wouldn't be any trouble."
"I don't know... That all sounds really nice, but I still like my apartment. It's easier for me to see my friends and get my schoolwork done. Las Noches isn't someplace I could call home."
"Suit yourself." Ulquiorra muttered, "But you'll still come back with me once in a while, won't you?"
"Sure."
. . .
November 11th
The Garganta opened, and Ulquiorra stepped through. Following behind him was Orihime clad in her Arrancar uniform. She held her hand up to shield her eyes, "...Are you sure we're in the right place? The sun is rising here..."
"Welcome to Las Noches." Her mate replied, holding out his hand until she took it, "The dome was rebuilt and repainted to look like the dawn. I thought it was fitting since a new day has started here, figuratively speaking."
"Wow..." The girl replied, obviously impressed by the new look. "I can see why this place took up so much of your time. Here I'd worried that you wouldn't have anything to do while I was in school."
"You can take the Hollow out of Hueco Mundo, but you can't do the opposite." Ulquiorra stated, "You may never call this place home, but it's where I was born and its energy courses through me. I could feel it calling when I awoke from that three day sleep. No matter how far away a Hollow goes, this place will always sing at that back of our minds, beckoning us to return one day. But we Arrancar aren't just normal Hollows anymore, me least of all. The proper thing to do was rebuild the palace so Arrancar had somewhere to go."
"Makes sense."
As the duo spoke, a pair of ears eavesdropped. Although she was certain Ulquiorra was aware of her presence, the Arrancar known as Lucca simply kept walking. She grit her teeth whenever Orihime's voice echoed.
"That woman..." She turned to look over her shoulder, She's the reason Aizen-sama is gone. She's the reason Ulquiorra usurped him and took over this place... I could never believe that Aizen-sama abandoned us. He spent so long gathering us together, making us all strong... He made this place! Lucca clenched her fists in anger, Mark my words...Cuatro Espada... I won't rest. I may not be anywhere near as strong as you, but I won't stop until I've brought you down. No one can lord over Las Noches but him!
. . .
Orihime was stunned to find that the room she'd previously been kept in had been restored as well. Not that it was the greatest of places to be reminded of, but since her captivity was simply that, captivity, and nothing particularly painful (Loli and Menoly's incursion notwithstanding) it wasn't all bad.
It had been hours since they arrived though and Orihime's feet were killing her. She paused her awe and moved to fall face-first into the large couch against the side wall. Ulquiorra came after her, but remained standing, looking around. When the woman shuffled back around again and made room, she pulled him down to sit next to her, and rested her chin on his shoulder.
"You've done really well for yourself. I can see why you would consider asking me to stay here." She said quietly.
"But you've already stated you won't consider it."
"Well, true... I mean, maybe I could stay overnight sometimes, or for a few days...but... Well... You know..." She fumbled.
"Why not stay tonight?" He said, moving slightly so he could pull Murcielago from his sash and set it aside.
"I guess we could." She smiled, leaning back to fall into the large pillow at the end, raising her arms over her forehead, "I'm so tired. All the walking today...you'd probably have to carry me to bed anyway!"
She lifted one arm as she felt Ulquiorra pulling her legs up onto his lap, undoing the zipper on the in-seam and pulling the boots away, revealing her spent feet.
[Read on at your own risk.]
The girl couldn't resist, though. Her aching legs were practically begging for a little tender attention, and since the Espada was offering anyway, she wouldn't stop him, regardless of how her feet must've looked. She just lay there, quietly enjoying as his fingers worked out the sores and pains.
"I hadn't considered that walking for so long would be such a chore." Ulquiorra finally said, breaking the silence, "I'll keep that in mind for later."
"It's fine." Orihime mumbled, half in a daze by this point.
Ulquiorra peered his green eyes in her direction, though not turning his head. His fingers continued to kneed her sore limbs, and soon, he realized Orihime had actually fallen asleep. He didn't falter though...maybe an hour passed before she finally woke up again, although entirely unintentional. He had tried to lean forward and cross one leg over the other, but it stirred her enough to rouse her out of her nap.
She sat up and looked around, "Uh...hm. How long was I asleep?"
"Not very long." He answered, sitting back again now that his leg was where he wanted it to be, "An hour or so."
"Sorry!" She panicked, "I didn't mean to! Your massage was really nice!"
"You fell asleep. I took it as a compliment. It's not as though you walked out of the room."
The girl slumped back again and laughed quietly to herself, and as Ulquiorra retook his place with his hands over her feet, she felt something a little odd.
"What is it?" He asked. "You just twitched."
"Oh...it's nothing." She answered, still a little perplexed. But then she found herself rubbing her knees together, and it all became clear.
Ulquiorra let go of her feet and gawked at her, "What is it?"
The girl went fully red in the face, and covered it with her hands, "Nothing!"
His glance didn't end. He continued to bore into her, and she noticed as she peeked through her fingers. It occurred to him that his hour-long, nap-inducing massage might have...loosened the woman up a little. Her embarrassment was indicative of it at least...and he dared to test it.
He worked his hands away from her feet, over her ankles and up to her calves under the loose material of her hakama. She didn't pull away, but she didn't remove her hands from her face either. His fingers snaked their way over her knees, and he gently rubbed his thumb back and forth against the inside of her thigh. To her naive humiliation, she was putty at his touch, and it wasn't long before she found the Espada putting his entire body between her legs, leaning overtop of her.
"You can take your hands away." He said, "There's nothing to be ashamed of."
She wiggled under him, trying to escape, but her efforts weren't enthusiastic enough to actually get free, so she just let him do as he pleased. She peered through her fingers again though and whined, "...But I...oh my gosh... AH!" Her hands were away now and she was gaping at the Arrancar with a stunned and frantic look on her face, "W-What was that for!?"
"I felt like it." He answered simply, falling back again those few inches he'd grinded against her. He even dared to do it again, pushing against her hips with his own, relishing in her reaction.
"That...aahh..." She whimpered, unable to do anything, "You're on a mission, now..."
"You have been both kind and cruel to me this past month." He explained, "But you know full well that if you don't want to continue, you need only say and I'll relent."
She looked down at him, noticing that her knees were fully exposed and the Espada was all too much enjoying himself. His eyes gave him away even if the rest of his face was still stony in its expression. She felt his hand stroking her left thigh, dipping under the pile of fabric until his touch reached all the way to her waist. The more times his slow motion repeated itself, the further over the top of her leg he got, until his thumb was just barely crossing into the inner part of her leg. He listened closely to the weight in each of her breaths, but then he felt something he hadn't expected from her.
She wrapped her legs tighter around his waist and looked him square in the eyes, briefly, before looking away again.
"What?"
"...You...promise." She started, "Promise me...that if we do this...you'll..." Her words trailed.
"...That I'll...?"
She finally spat it out, "That you won't do anything weird or embarrassing or tell anyone!"
Ulquiorra was a little shocked, "Why would I tell anyone about what we do? It's no one's business but ours."
"Promise anyway!" She said frantically, hiding behind her hands again.
"All right, I pro-"
"And that you'll be gentle!"
"Yes, I know, I promi-"
"And you won't make me do anything crazy!"
"What? No. I'll only do what you want me to do, I pr-"
"You promise?!"
Ulquiorra gawked at her again, and she went quiet.
"Yes."
"Okay..." She said. Ulquiorra could feel her anxiety flying through the roof, and it set him a little on edge, but he was determine to push through it. He pulled the woman from where she'd become entrenched in the large pillow, readjusted where his legs were, turned around so their positions were switched and pulled her onto his lap. He sat more upright than she had been doing and so was able to see her almost at eye-level. He put his left hand on her waist and his right behind her neck, pulling her down to his face, kissing her gently there to help her relax.
If there was anything he had learned about this woman, it was that no matter how quickly she spoke or frantic her mannerisms...everything else needed to happen slowly, which was fine with him.
He continued his slow kissing, gradually moving towards her neck, gently massaging her back as he went lower, pulling at the tiny zipper at the front of her collar so he could have greater access. It occurred to him that his mask might actually be getting in the way now, and so, despite how much more 'whole' he felt with it on, he let it disappear. Orihime was quick to run her fingers through his hair when it was gone though, which made up for the fact.
By now, the woman was able to feel him a little more definitively where she sat on his lap. It made her nervous again, but she let it go. His caressing at her neck encouraged her to sit further up than before, and her cape came undone as she went. It fell from her shoulders and slid down to about her elbows before Ulquiorra started licking at her collarbone. His hands roamed up and down her slender, bare arms, slowly helping to move away the sleeves that bound her hands at her sides. She could feel that he was then starting to tug, a little at a time, at the dress-top, gradually revealing a little more of her chest and back as it came away. Before long, the tube-like top was a wrinkled heap of fabric around her waist, and the only thing between the Espada and what he was after was a thin band of material. A strapless bra, and nothing more.
Orihime felt a little awkward there though. Ulquiorra could sense it, and worked to alleviate it by making their situations a little more equal again. He leaned back a little and quickly undid the front of his coat, shrugging it off before wrapping arms around the woman's back and pulling her down on top of him again, kissing her a while longer before starting to weave his hands under the dress again.
Their position wasn't very forgiving for what he was trying to do though, and so he reversed them yet again, slowly pulling himself out from under her and setting her back against the pillow. When he sat back upright, he leaned back just enough to pull his own boots off and cast them away, then falling inward again to kiss at the still-hidden breasts.
Ulquiorra was easily a craft man despite appearances to the idea that he would be oblivious to the wiles of human women. At least, he could claim to be as such with regard to this one. In such a position, he could undo the small clasps on the back of that self-same strapless bra, and let it sit loosely over her chest until the woman who wore it was comfortable enough to let it slip away. So, while she lay there, with that loose vestment of fabric sitting precariously over her chest, he returned his attention to the bottom half of her outfit.
Given the nature of the design, he was forced the grab the entire bundle of it and pull it all away as one piece, leaving just her undergarment behind. As he forced her legs up into the air to pull the white mass away, he was careful not to return to his prior spot too quickly. Her legs had come together in that earlier process and he had to slowly coax them apart again. He kissed her knees and the top of her thighs as he set himself to rest between his love and the back of the couch, letting his hand roam over her stomach before finally coming to rest by her head.
"Is it okay?" He asked cautiously.
She nodded, kissing him briefly before hiding her face in his hair. His fingers had begun to work their way down over that garment around her hips, ever so lightly touching through the fabric a place that no other man alive had ever been allowed. He paused only when he found the woman reaching with her right hand to touch his, and her heavy breaths told him that she was in a weird position for that next act. To remedy, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to her side so she would have her back against his chest, and then worked those fingers back down to her hips, pushing away the material that kept him out.
When he returned to her skin, he felt her nerves rising, and she buried her face in the pillow beneath her head, but she allowed him to lift her right leg slightly as he pressed his fingers into that wet, warm area between them. She grabbed tightly onto the material and gasped a little. Ulquiorra leaned over her to nipple on her ear, then decided to change hands. His left arm was resting beneath her, and he brought it up to take the place of his right, massaging between her legs, and then brought the newly freed hand back up to her waist. He placed one of his knees between hers and then let his middle finger dip into the cleft, finding that sensitive nub as he began to caress her breast. She was clearly aroused, and had been for some time, though she hadn't been aware before due to her having fallen asleep when it started.
Her legs clenched a little at the initial feeling of his fingers, but relaxed a little as the sensation grew. She could feel the heat growing in her belly, and the pulsing beat of her heart, causing small flicks of pleasure as Ulquiorra's fingers did their work.
That intense feeling of desire was starting to grow. Orihime wouldn't say it, but her entire body cried out for it. She wanted him inside her, but was yet terrified of the prospect. She cried out though as she felt one of his fingers dare to creep within her. He withdrew it again almost instantly, thinking he might've hurt her, but then found her pushing his hand back again.
But his hand wouldn't do. She had already been worked up about it, and could sense that she just craved the pure bliss of physical sensation now. He was quick to pull himself upright again, and slowly moved down, pulling away the last bit of the fabric on her chest, circling his tongue around her nipples and moving ever further down. He dipped his tongue against her naval and then finally down between her legs.
Orihime pulled the pillow out from under her head and practically smothered herself with it as she felt that man's hot mouth against her. Her toes curled, and her fingers clenched the fabric, and each passing lick against her center drew a faint cry from her lips. He had to hold her legs apart, lest the clamp them down on her head unintentionally. He lathed attention on that nub for a good minute, stopping only when he could feel her trembling more than before...the sort that said, if he wanted to have any fun of his own, he ought to knock it off before she finishes without him.
As Orihime panted and pulled the pillow away from her face again, she looked down to see the Espada pulling the sash and hakama away from his waist...revealing the thing she'd felt earlier but had never seen before that moment. Again, she hid her face in embarrassment, but Ulquiorra pushed it away as he leaned over top of her, pressing himself against her and kissing at her chest again.
He wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her hips up a little, and rubbed his member against her, breathing heavily against her skin. Orihime clutched at the couch, her fingers up against his knees, preparing for the coming moment. She felt him pull a little further away than before, and the tip of his manhood pressing against that vulnerable spot.
There was a brief jolt of sudden pain as the head went in, and she cried out against it, arching her back and trying not to be too loud. Ulquiorra stopped instantly, rubbing her back with his thumb and reaching back with one hand to caress her leg. When the clench of her reaction subsided, he dared to move again, sliding barely a quarter of an inch further in before he could feel her trying to get off of him.
"Is it bad?" He asked cautiously.
"No...no no..." She insisted, "...Go slow...just a...AH...little..."
He did as told and, ever so slowly, started to push himself further inside. They went back and forth like that for a good 30 seconds before the full length of his member could safely be claimed as 'inside.' Orihime collapsed, the still-throbbing pain between her legs drawing at least one tear, but she quickly got rid of it before Ulquiorra could see. She knew he was already anxious enough about the whole situation.
But there they were...after a month of pushing and pulling, saying yes and then no, being too afraid to do anything because the lights were on...they were finally one, in body and soul.
Ulquiorra breathed heavily against her, the tight warmth around him being all too precious. He moved his hips a little bit...enough to stir inside her without causing any friction against the freshly-torn flap of skin.
"You're mine now...Inoue Orihime." He whispered, with a tinge of pride on his voice.
"...W..What?"
He pulled upward a little bit, and pressed Orihime's hand to his chest, "You marked me in such a way." He explained, noting that it was indeed her doing that his Hollow hole was gone, "And now, I mark you. There is no other who will, in all eternity, ever be able to claim that." He kissed her hand before moving down to kiss her lips again, pressing his hips firmly against hers. She wrapped her arms around his head and held him there, her body still shaking a little from the shock of that earlier sudden pain. But then Ulquiorra pulled away a little, kissing her forehead, and reaching down to feel their union with his own fingers. He stopped short of it though, realizing that would be rude. Instead, he took her gently by her own hand and pulled her down to that spot at the same time, allowing her to feel their connection first.
She was cautious. Her fingers touched his skin, and then lower until she could feel that she was touching herself, too. The stretched bit of skin was tight around him, but it was starting to feel good. When she pulled her hand away, she looked at it, seeing the slightest bit of blood there that she expected.
"It's not so bad..." She whispered.
"There's only a little. ...May I?"
Orihime nodded, bracing herself, but when she felt him slide back, the pain wasn't nearly as bad as it was before. He was able to push back inside her without drawing that visceral reaction again, and so he picked up his tempo a little. He dropped to his elbows, pressing his forehead against her chest, and started beating his hips against her...slowly at first, and then going faster as she allowed.
There was something about a certain way he moved that drew a pulse of pleasure in the woman. Each thrust felt a little different, but each time she heard the distinct slapping sound of his skin hitting hers, the pulse got more and more intense.
"Faster." She finally said, "Just like that..but faster!"
Ulquiorra looked up at her and then did as told.
"Ahh...! Just like that...!" She cried out, gripping her arms over his shoulders, holding to him tightly. He kept up his feverish pace, relishing in every gasp and moan he drew from his mate's lips. He moved then to pull her back a little, turning her around and setting her knees on the floor beside the couch, letting her lean over the seat and resting his head against her back, pushing back into her. He set his fingers back to work, rubbing at that sensitive nub as he pushed inside, faster and harder yet.
He hadn't expected it just yet, but he found the woman crying out and pulling away, clenching her legs together all of a sudden. Still inside her though, he could feel another rush of wetness as she panted heavily against the couch. It dawned on him that he had made her climax earlier than he'd intended.
He wasn't even sure what to do at that point. He didn't want to be left hanging...that's all he knew for sure. But...he pulled out of her and let her get back up onto the couch, trembling and with rather weak legs. She laid down on her side, and he realized she was aware, giving him the opportunity again to enter her by bending one knee closest to him.
Ulquiorra dropped back down behind her, wedged into the crease of the seat, and positioned himself to penetrate again. With one arm under her shoulders and the other holding her steady at the waist, he started moving in and out again. He kissed the woman feverishly, enamored by the motion of her breasts, back and forth in tandem with his thrusts. He latched onto the closest nipple and brushed his teeth against it, drawing a whimper from his mate that egged him on further.
He could tell he was close. He could no longer focus on the romantic aspect of the act and simply continued to plough into her. Before long, he finally felt his release, his emission spilling into her as he made a few more slow passes, in and out, then finally coming to rest half-way between the two. He breathed heavily, the two of them covered in sweat, and neither really able to move.
Orihime though managed to reach down and grab her cape, lazily pulling it over them so they wouldn't have to move again. She turned her head and kissed the Espada on the forehead, "That was amazing."
He looked up at her, not sure what to say for once. He simply hugged her tightly, and held there until their exhausted bodies turned them to sleep.