WARNING: This chapter contains explicit (consensual) Sexual Content.

TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW

Chapter XLVIII:
"Always By My Side, Part 1"

The Living Realm, Karakura...

The rain had come down on them quickly and unexpectedly, so Orihime and Ulquiorra were totally unprepared for the sudden downfall. The pair been in the middle of walking home, en-route from the neighborhood convenience store, and so the duo had been forced to speed up their homeward trek as they were peppered by droplets of water from above...

At the time, Orihime had given a slight yelp of surprise, while Ulquiorra had reacted (unsurprisingly) with only a look of annoyance at the abrupt change in the weather. For the green-eyed Arrancar, these meteorological phenomena were one of the few things he disliked about this realm his partner and the rest of the human's called their home. Certainly, Huecco Mundo was perpetually cold and windy, but at least it was consistent in it's largely inhospitable nature.

Darting from one bit of cover to another, the Human and the Hollow managed to make their way back without incident, though not before being thoroughly soaked by the rain.

Ulquiorra watched as the woman fished around in her purse for her pair of keys. They were standing before the front door to their apartment, under cover on the second floor. And as the rain poured down behind them, he noted how her hair clung to the back of her neck, and the fact that he could make out the lines of her bra- through the fabric of the shirt she was wearing.

He tightened his already clenched fist, in an effort to quell his thoughts as the redheaded female at last produced the key she was searching for, wasting little time in unlocking the front door. That done, they ventured into the entryway, discarding their soaked shoes and making their way to the kitchen.

The perishable items were put in the refrigerator, while the rest were set- bags and all- upon the nearby counter-tops. Honestly, at this point, the items could wait, as neither of them were in the mood to spend any more time than was absolutely necessary in wet clothing.

Orihime was dressed in a blue t-shirt (featuring the logo of the Seibu Lions baseball team on the front), and a pair of jeans that hugged her hips rather nicely. The young woman's mane of fiery hair was tied in the back with a simple black scrunchy. While for his part, Ulquiorra was dressed in a simple black shirt (as a rule, he preferred long-sleeves) and a pair of faded jeans.

And yet, in spite of this brief bit of ill-fortune, seeing Orihime still smiling- as she reached up to undo the tie holding her hair in place- he found himself unable to suppress a smile of his own.

Freeing her hair, Orihime paused to look at herself, blushing faintly at seeing how her soaked t-shirt clung immodestly to her chest. However, the embarrassment she felt was soon tempered by a sense of excitement, as a small smile slowly graced the youth's pretty face.

In that moment, she began to reflect on just how much of an inseparable part of her life Ulquiorra had become. They'd been 'together' for going on two years now: from the first days, with her as his prisoner and him as her warden, to the present- as equals, as lovers...

Orihime felt a comforting warmth in her chest in that moment. When she thought about, the truth was that she'd never known the kind of total contentment that she experienced with him. And in the process of this, the curvy teen came to a realization- an important realization.

"Orihime."

The sound of Ulquiorra uttering her name snapped her back to reality. She turned, smiling warmly as she met the raven-haired Arrancar's emerald gaze. "Oh, sorry..." Orihime offered, feeling slightly at a loss as she gazed at him. Of particular note, was the way that his black shirt clung to him, making the contours of his lean upper body tantalizingly visible through the fabric.

"We shouldn't stay in these wet clothes..." Ulquiorra idly remarked. He wasn't sure if he could get sick by way of his Gigai, but Orihime certainly could at this rate.

In that moment, Orihime was struck by a burst of inspiration. Her blush darkening, she smiled slyly as she sauntered over to Ulquiorra. "Good thinking." She began. "Then, perhaps a nice hot shower would help to warm us both up." The redhead offered with a twinkle in her brown eyes.

She closed the gap between them, making it a point of getting into his personal space as much as she could, going so far as to place her hands against his chest. "And, we could go in... together." Orihime continued suggestively, amazing even herself with her boldness. "You know, to save time."

Nearby, the multiple melodies of the community of finches bled together into a cacophony of various chirps, warbles, chattering, and other sounds... A common occurrence these days.

He didn't respond right away, though his eyes widened slightly, while the sunset-haired woman looked expectantly at him. "Orihime..." Ulquiorra started with effort. "Are you sure?"

Orihime smiled and nodded, before moving in to plant a kiss on his lips. With that, she gestured for him to follow her as she started to make her way down the hall, towards the bathroom...

In the cage, Ulqui-kun and Hime-chan returned to their wicker nest to feed their three tiny hatchlings, before they both settled in and nestled themselves around them.

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

The whole situation felt so surreal for Orihime, yet also exciting!

Her heart raced as she looked up at him. Pale as he was, there were times when he (rather fittingly) resembled a ghost. But now, there was a noticeable flush to his wan skin. Ulquiorra silently reached the foot of the bead, his knee touching down as he climbed onto the bed.

Orihime blushed darkly, feeling unnervingly vulnerable, with nothing but a towel wrapped around her curvy frame. However, she was determined to stay the course regardless of nerves. The young woman was quick to remind herself that she had wanted this... She trusted Ulquiorra, and she knew that she wanted this, but traces of fear and doubt still lingered in her mind.

When he moved to touch her, only to watch as she flinched slightly as his hand brushed her shoulder. Her unease became clear to him, Ulquiorra nodded to himself and pulled back. Orihime was confused by his actions, and started to say something when his hands came to rest on her shoulders. Once again, she was left speechless by his eyes as he looked directly into hers.

"You're nervous, I can tell..." Ulquiorra calmly observed. "You shouldn't try to force yourself to do this if you don't feel comfortable... We don't have to do this if you're not ready." He reasoned, while rubbing her shoulders gently in an attempt to help ease her nerves- regardless of her ultimate decision. Orihime slowly felt herself calming as she sat with him on the bed, eventually her breath normalized...

She looked at him for a moment, without responding. His lips were curved slightly, hinting at a smile. There was no tension in either his features or his voice. Orihime felt her heart flutter as she looked back at him, her nerves slowly easing. She shook his hand and smiled softly. "Don't worry, it's alright..." the young woman replied, still smiling, before leaning forward to kiss him.

He looked into her brown eyes for a moment. "Are you sure...?" Ulquiorra asked, one last time, the concern in his voice made her feel warm. She smiled back and reached up to brush away his dark black hair to better see his his angular features. Everything about him- his lean muscular physique; his pale complexion, set against his mane of fine dark hair; his intense green eyes, framed by a corona of blue; and the teal lines marking his face. It all made him look like a predator...

Everything about him was seriously turning Orihime on!

As far as she was concerned, there was really no way she could say no to him- especially when she factored in his killer voice and bedroom eyes. "It's okay. I... I was just a little nervous." Orihime replied in a soft voice. "I want to be with you... I really want this." She couldn't help but blush at the boldness of her own words. The sunset-haired woman glanced at him for a moment, noting he was dressed only in his jeans- his wet t-shirt and socks clutched in his hand.

She eventually shrugged off her embarrassment and leaned in to kiss him. Orihime closed her eyes, a small moan escaping her lips as he kissed her back. Feeling his tongue, she parted her lips and allowed him entrance. She snaked her hands around his chest and started to trace the lines of musculature across his back. After a moment, Ulquiorra pulled back from her- drawing open the towel around her- to take in the image of the girl's flushed figure and breathless expression.

He paused to take in the sight for a moment... Her body was a pale peach color, save for the pink buds capping both of her breasts. Her disheveled hair was still a bit damp and her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink color that contrasted nicely with her fair complexion. Ulquiorra reached over and brushed stray strands of auburn hair out of her face, before he leaned in to kiss her again.

The disguised Arrancar quickly moved down to nip lightly at her jaw, before moving down her neck, practically feasting on her pulse as he kissed her. Orihime arched her back and cried out at feeling his fingers brush experimentally against her nipples. A small whimper escaped Orihime's lips when she felt his teeth slide against her sleek collarbone. The Espada smiled to himself as he listened to the gorgeous woman's growing redhead's trill of pleasure.

Ulquiorra brushed his fingertips across her flat stomach and over her rib-cage. The woman gasped and shivered slightly in reaction to his feather-light touches. His hands eventually halted just below the base of her chest, near the curve of her large breasts. Gauging her response, he cast his hands upwards and cupped the supple globes, gently plying the flesh with his fingers.

Orihime couldn't help but let out a moan as she felt his hands on her soft flesh. His touch sent chills throughout her body. He smiled, pleased with her continued reactions, and began to tease her nipples- pinching the stiff buds between his fingers. Her moans deepened and she rubbed her thighs anxiously together, a stream of whimpers coming from her lips as Ulquiorra leaned in to kiss her chest, between her breasts. He then captured her right nipple in his mouth, gently lapping at it with his tongue.

The redhead nearly screamed when she felt his teeth, as he pulled lightly. The Arrancar moved his hand to massage the other breast. Ulquiorra then released her nipple, his other hand continuing to kneed it as he began descending- planting a series of tickling kisses down the line of her stomach- until he arrived at the forest of soft reddish-gold curls covering her mound.

Orihime rose up onto her elbows. "Ulquiorra, what are you-"

"Shhh, just relax and leave it to me." He replied calmly, as he brushed a fingertip against her, touching her heated flesh. Orihime cried out he inserted a finger into her folds to tease her insides. The Arrancar then slipped a second finger inside her, curling his digits to brush against her passage. He eventually hit a particular spot within her- her eyes clenching shut and she arched her body upwards, in a desperate effort to grind against his hand as he continued gently fingering her.

Ulquiorra wordlessly noted that the outer lips of of her slit were visibly glistening, an obvious tell for her state of arousal. He lifted up her parted legs, and left a trail of kisses along her inner thigh, causing her to moan as he neared her core. Orihime gasped when she felt his breath upon her slick folds.

Her brown eyes went wide. "W-wait, you don't have to-!"

She wasn't totally sure why she was suddenly objecting. They'd fooled around a bit earlier, while they were in the shower, but that had only been him teasing her with his fingers. She couldn't really explain it, but the prospect of him using his mouth on her- cunnilingus, if she recalled- somehow struck her as a much more exposing act, to say nothing of how vulnerable she felt at the moment.

He just smiled at her protest. "Orihime," Ulquiorra spoke. "I want to." With that, she seemed to relax a bit as he gently spread the lips of her, revealing the delicate flesh of her core. Without any further delay, he began to lap at her insides, eliciting a shriek of ecstasy from his lover.

Ulquiorra drew back (a confident smirk playing across his handsome features) and looked up at her, in time to see the woman's mortified expression. "What are you doing?" He asked her in a low tone.

"B-but Ulquiorra... I- I'm embarrassed!" She pleaded with him. But he just smiled and shook his head. The gaze of is piercing green eyes on her practically burned as he gazed at her.

"You really do say the strangest things sometimes..." He remarked. "As I recall, humans are supposed to enjoy feeling pleasure, correct?" Ulquiorra continued coolly. "Please, don't hide your face from me, as there's nothing to be ashamed of." He explained, moving to kneel over her naked form.

Orihime felt his warm breath ticklishly upon the flesh of her ear (the shell as bright red as the rest of her face) as he spoke. "Show me... everything." He whispered in a husky tone.

Orihime was left to ponder the comment as he returned to his task. She didn't have long though, as she felt Ulquiorra's tongue moving skillfully within her once more. In spite of her own embarrassment, she felt so turned on, getting off as her pale lover teased her insides.

Satisfied with her reactions thus far, Ulquiorra moved to capture her clit between his lips, sucking on the sensitive bundle of nerves as he slipped a finger into her passage to continue teasing her. Moments later, Orihime's vision turned white and she cried out- her insides clamping down around his slender fingers as she climaxed, soaking his mouth with her juices in the process...

He watched her as she gasped for breath in the afterglow of her orgasm. Quietly, he withdrew his hand and licked her juices from his digits. Wiping off his mouth, he looked down at her, noting that her face was flushed and her eyes half-lidded, while her chest rose and fell with each breath.

Looking at the woman, her red hair disheveled and skin flush, his expression softened and he gave a rare unguarded smile. Ulquiorra had always been drawn to the woman, there was something irresistible about her, something that stirred unfamiliar urges and compulsions within him. He'd wanted her, all of her, like an all-consuming hunger- surely, this was the madness of desire? She was so alive, so vital, so alluring- everything about her, her spirit, her form, all of it perfect.

"Incredible..." He uttered softly. "You really are beautiful, Orihime."

She couldn't help but smile slightly at the comment. Ulquiorra then leaned in to kiss her again, before moving back down her body and situating himself between her plump thighs. Once again, Orihime felt the cool air of the bedroom wash across her body. Wordlessly, she watched as her paramour positioned the head of his member, the tip brushing against her slick folds...

There was a moment, in which his startling jade-green eyes locked gazes with her warm honey-brown eyes, in which Ulquiorra appeared to be seeking her permission before going forward. Orihime drew a long breath and did her best to relax, before giving her silent consent.

With that, he pressed into her in a slow deliberate motion. Orihime was expecting a sharp sudden pain as he entered her. However, it was more of a dull throbbing ache. She chewed her lip, trying to will her body to relax, her eyes watered slightly as he buried himself within her tight passage. Ulquiorra halted, to allow time for the woman's discomfort to ease. Continuing to reign himself in, he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, lacing his fingers together with hers.

"Let me know when you're ready..." He uttered as he proceeded to affectionately kiss away the little pearls of tears that had formed around the corners of her eyes, hanging off her long lashes.

Opening her brown eyes, she nodded, smiling to herself as she felt his lips soothingly upon her cheeks and the curve of her jawline. A few moments passed, before speaking up. "It's okay... You can go ahead and start moving, just..." She continued, still adjusting to him. "Do it gently for now."

"Of course." Ulquiorra responded, giving her quick kiss. He then rose up and drew back, before gently and slowly driving back into her depths. The Arrancar steeled himself and continued on like this for a little while, her reactions gradually shifting from muffled grunts into soft moans.

"Is it getting easier?" He asked, his voice slightly strained.

"Y-yeah..." She managed to reply, still not opening her eyes. "Ah... you can- ah- go a little harder..." Orihime continued, between giving little mewling sighs. At hearing her gentle prompting, he increased his the pace and intensity of his movements slightly, and was rewarded by a more obvious moan from the buxom woman laying beneath him. And so, Ulquiorra began to slowly and methodically ramp up his efforts with each languid stroke into her luscious body.

Again, the disguised Arrancar was rewarded by her moans, progressively more so with each successive thrust from him. Ulquiorra grit his teeth, making it a point of remaining under control, in the face of the tantalizing warmth and the velvet-like slickness of the gorgeous redhead's body.

Her moans soon became more pronounced as they moved against one another, with him settling into a pleasant rhythm. Not long after, she wrapped her legs around his lean waist, wordlessly urging him on. He obliged his lover and arched his back, allowing him to delve deeper into her tight warm passage.

Orihime arched her back as a small jolt of pleasure surged through her. Her heated body was still sensitive in the wake of her previous orgasm, so she was feeling particularly hyper-stimulated in that moment as Ulquiorra moved tantalizingly inside of her, striking deeper than the young woman would previously ever have thought possible.

As it presently stood, the young human was beginning to feel a familiarly lightheaded state of mind overtaking her. As such, Orihime realized that it wouldn't be long before she came again, and guessed that Ulquiorra- for all his herculean restraint- must have been close as well...

At the same time, Ulquiorra was thinking similar thoughts to those of his partner. Realizing that he was nearing his limit, the Arrancar began markedly increasing the speed and intensity of his thrusts- in an effort to ensure that Orihime would also be able to climax along with him when he finished. The Cuatro Espada would later consider their coupling as nothing less than the ultimate exercise in patience, as the woman was very tight and comforting around him!

Several moments and a half dozen or so thrusts later, Orihime arched her back and tensed up as he felt a shiver running through him, prompting Ulquiorra to redouble his efforts. Soon, both of them were seeing 'stars'. And then, that was it... He felt as her inner walls clamped down around him, gripping his length for all he was worth as she climaxed around his shaft, soaking him with her juices. This proved to be the last straw for him, as he too came!

Their visions both turned white, as waves of pleasure singed the nerves of both their bodies- the feeling total bliss culminating in him cumming inside her as she climaxed around him. Orihime saw fireworks going off in her mind... Well, at least until her attention was swiftly redirected back to her partner when Ulquiorra leaned in and captured her lips in a crushing kiss.

At the same time, she could feel an oddly satisfying sensation as another spurt of his warm seed filled her insides. She wasn't quite sure why, but she found the lingering warmth of this comforting...

Ironically, at the same moment, the Shinigami and the other denizens of the Soul Realm were looking up at the night's sky, enjoying a rather spectacular show of real fireworks- courtesy of none other than Kukaku Shiba. The Shiba family had been commissioned for this by the Shihoin family...

The fireworks show was put on to commemorate the anniversary of the finalization of the Shinigami-Arrancar peace treaty. Not that the notorious Matriarch of the Shiba Clan didn't have reasons of her own to celebrate, in particular the restoration of her previously lost right arm. An act for which Kukaku had promised Orihime a display of fireworks- that would put all her past works to shame- to celebrate the day when the young woman got married (Orihime hoped, to Ulquiorra).

Spent, Ulquiorra collapsed atop her, the two of them reduced to a sweaty gasping heap. He buried his face in the crook of her neck- into her fiery hair- as they struggled for breath. Surrounded by her sweet and alluring scent, her scent, and feeling her human heart beating through her bosom, the Arrancar felt almost euphoric in that moment- it was almost like a drug.

His mind still a blur, he couldn't help but ponder if he finally understood the 'heart' that Orihime had spoken of during her captivity Looking back, it seemed almost an eternity ago now. But then, as they lay there on the woman's bed, together, with her as his mate, the two of them connected- in more ways than one... Ulquiorra began to believe that she was the heart. Or, more precisely, for a being such as himself, she was his heart. Pondering this, he held her close to his chest.

After a while, when his head was a bit clearer, Ulquiorra withdrew from her and rolled onto his back, and pulled Orihime to his side. With one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the Gigai-clad Espada used his free hand to draw the bed sheet up around them. With that done, he quietly turned his gaze to the ceiling, making out seemingly random patterns...

Eventually, Orihime stirred, and draped an arm across his muscular chest, further turning onto her side and draping a leg across his frame as she cuddled up beside him. When he turned to check on her, the redhead surprised him with a quick sudden impetuous kiss on the lips- just a quick peck- and smiled impishly at him as she drew back from him, still under the covers.

Ulquiorra's only response to this was to give a smile of his own, before returning the kiss, which he then followed up be ruffling her long hair affectionately.

It wasn't too long before she drifted off to sleep. As he lay there, idly discerning random patterns in the texture of the ceiling, he could faintly hear the faint chattering and chirps of the finches.

No doubt, the small mixed community of finches- including the various pairings that had formed since being set up- were settling into their nests for the evening...

Smiling, he encircled his arm around Orihime more snugly, before soon succumbing to sleep himself...

. . . ...o.o.o... . . .

Elsewhere in the City...

"I can't believe it, the luck!" Toshiro complained. "First, we get held up by this sudden downpour," the young snowy-haired Captain went on, visibly annoyed. "And now... Now, neither Inoue-san or Schiffer are answering their cellphones!" He went on. "Just what the hell are the those two doing?!"

The young man wasn't talking mostly to himself. Rather, he was voicing his frustrations to his nearby Lieutenant, who was seated at a small circular table nearby. The strawberry-blonde smiled and watched as her Captain glower- first, at the screen of his cellphone, then to the window- looking out onto the street, at the steady drizzle.

The two of them had been in the area that day, close enough that only a short subway ride was required in for them to be able pay the two a visit. And while she was always happy for a chance to see Orihime, it was a rather well-known 'secret' that these periodic visit were also check-ups: an unspoken condition of the arrangement that allowed Ulquiorra to stay in the living realm with Orihime.

Further, she'd put money on Ulquiorra having realized this more-or-less right away. And so, the busty woman was glad that Toshiro and her friendship/association with Orihime had made them the only real options to carry out these fateful visits- as they were genuine social calls, that just happened to double as a means of allowing them to check in the couple and make sure everything was in order.

Rangiku had promptly smiled in reaction to her Captain's remark. "Hmm, I wonder..." The Lieutenant remarked in a sly tone. "Just what could they be doing?" She added knowingly.

(- End of Chapter XLVIII... -)

This Chapter is the culmination of a lot of things for me, something that's been in the works for a long time. I'm proud of the fact that I was able to do a UlquiHime-centric story where titular pair took their time and built up to this- being as this is the 48th chapter.

Also, you can consider this a timely Holiday present, as I was able to finish proofing it in time for Christmas! In addition to that, I'm further ahead in my writing than I've been in a long time, so I have a decent buffer of content now. (Hopefully, I can keep this up...) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this.