For the most part, the day went pretty smoothly. Orihime managed to find a cheap kimono on the clearance rack that was almost perfect. I mean, it fit well with her bust perfectly, but because it was able to, the rest of it was way too big.

She spent the rest of the evening making some slight adjustments to the seam so it would fit her figure better. She sat in her living on the floor and sewed while watching TV. Ulquiorra joined her and it felt really comfortable having him around.

He inquired her as to why she was sewing it and she had to give a whole big explanation as to how sometimes it was difficult for her to find clothing that fit her body….as well as her chest area.

Ulquiorra was sitting on the couch and watched her sew. He never really thought about that before, how difficult it must be to find clothes that fit for someone with her figure. Although, he wasn't used to things like that anyways, in Hueco Mundo all his clothes were tailored to his exact measurements.

He began thinking about how it would be like if he turned back to normal and managed to live his life with Orihime. How it would be going to the store with her and actually trying on normal clothes. How it would be like to plan to go out somewhere and search through a closet full of outfits to wear alongside Orihime.

He quickly stopped himself though before he let his thoughts get the best of him. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling…..there must be a way for him to stop himself from getting hopeful like this.

During the battle with Ichigo as Ulquiorra began to fade away, he accepted his fate in those short few moments as he reached out to her. He accepted it, but he didn't want it. It wasn't the fact that he wouldn't exist anymore, but that he wouldn't be able to be around that woman anymore…..the one who he grew to care so deeply for. Those few moments he experienced having a heart just sent him in anguish as he began to "disappear". But Ulquiorra had to admit, it felt much more painful to anticipate his death DAYS before it were to happen, all the while finding himself growing more and more attached to Orihime.

He wondered what his feelings would be like if he wasn't in this predicament of needing her to reciprocate these feelings for his mere survival. Would he be that desperate in terms of his feelings and divulging himself into them and what they mean?

At first he thought the answer would be no, but the longer he thought about it, the more he changed his mind. It didn't matter whether or not he was this size or back to normal, the things she did would still tug at his heart the same way, and he would still feel this attraction to her that he couldn't explain.

It was all so bizarre for Ulquiorra. He wanted to do things he never imagined doing so before, and couldn't explain why. It wasn't until he met this woman that everything he used to believe in begin to shatter, and he found himself losing control of himself. For example? Right now he would love nothing more than to pull her up on the couch with him and hold her close. He dreamt of what it would feel like to have her body pressed against his in a way that didn't involve her holding his entire being in the palm of her hand.

Every passing day he felt himself growing more and more attached to her, that the more he thought about not being able to experience it anymore, the more it upset him. At this point he didn't even need her to return his feelings. He could go the rest of his life without knowing if she ever returned his feelings, so long as he was able to spend the rest of his life being near her, that's all he wanted.

He spent his entire existence wanting nothing more than to not exist in order not to feel. But now things are completely different, and it's because of that girl. And the most unfortunate part was, none of it mattered because he would never be given this chance.

Ulquiorra sadly closed his eyes and sighed deeply, trying to collect himself and his thoughts. He felt a deep pain in his chest and he didn't like it one bit. Was this what Urahara meant by a broken heart?

He turned again to watch Orihime sew her outfit, and the mere sight of it tugged at his heart more. He knew that the festival would be the last chance he got to see her, and evidence of the festival was all around him, so it was difficult not to think about it.

A part of him wanted to tell her how he felt, and let her know how much she effected his life as a hollow, he thought she at least had the right to know. On the other hand he didn't want to share anything. He was confident that Orihime's life would be better if he never existed, so it would be best if he died anyways and disappeared from her life without a trace once and for all.

Ulquiorra wasn't keen on talking, as he wasn't very much the social type, but that one part of him really wished he could talk to her about it. He was drowning in his thoughts and he couldn't take it anymore.

"Orihime.." he finally choked out.

She quickly spun her head around and looked at him surprised, more so because he was actually...starting conversation with her? The mere thought of it got her heart racing.

"Y-yes?" She replied, holding eye contact with him.

"Why are you so kind to me?" He asked sincerely, although monotonously at the same time.

That caught her off guard. She began to fumble for her words as she tried coming up with an answer and process exactly what it was the he had asked.

"I...um...well you see….um….."

That continued for a while and Ulquiorra got impatient. He sat up from the couch and walked toward her. Her eyes widened as he neared her.

"I took you away from your friends. I told you you were going to die. I told you to laugh at your friends as they slowly died off one by one. I told you everything you believed in was a lie. I brought you to a place where you were beaten and stuffed in a bag, and had to watch your friends suffer by my hands. I told you to watch as I killed someone that was dear to you. I did all these things and we both know it, I did all this and you had the audacity to reach back out to me in my final moments.Why did you do that? Why did you take me in with you and how can you treat me with such kindness after everything I did to you? I can't understand you."

He paused and took a breath.

"I can't understand anything you do, and it drives me insane."

Orihime's mouth dropped.

She had NEVER heard Ulquiorra say that much in one sitting, let alone with him starting the conversation. He seemed….angry? No, it wasn't that. Maybe frustrated. But he had a very valid point, and something her friends pointed out to her as well.

"I don't….really know how to answer." She murmured under breath.

For some reason, this sparked something inside Ulquiorra that he couldn't explain, but he had to let out.

"You continue to baffle me. At least give me one last thing as a token of your kindness, please tell me why you treat me the way you do."

Orihime backed away from him. "Ulquiorra..." she started, "Are you okay?"

"Answer me, woman. I deserve to at least know this much before I lose everything." His voice was beginning to break as he choked out those last words.

This took Orihime by surprise. She could actually feel the emotion in his voice, a phenomenon which she rarely had a chance to see. She'd never seen him like this before and she felt tears stain her eyes for a reason she couldn't explain.

"Ulquiorra.." Her voice began to crack, "Please tell me what's wrong...you're worrying me." She tried her best to wipe her eyes as she felt the first teardrops fall.

"You are right on all of those things." She managed to choke out. She felt her emotions get the best of her. She covered her face with her arms as a means of hiding her tears from him.

"You are right, you did all those things, but even so I can't hate you. I can't find it in my heart to hate you. I don't understand everything you went through but from my time in Hueco Mundo, I managed to see that you weren't all who you gave yourself to be. I could see that in the way you asked me all those questions, when you couldn't understand why I cared for the things I cared about, and I could see it in the end when you reached out to me. It felt like….to me atleast, you finally understood at least a small part of what I was telling you."

She paused as she sniffled and wiped her face, she really couldn't control her tears.

"I can't even begin to imagine what it must have felt like to feel nothing like the way you said you lived, to finally understanding what it's like to feel, and care. I thought I saw that in you when you reached out to me, and I wished I could have given you more."

Again she wiped her eyes and looked at Ulquiorra.

"I really don't think you're a bad guy Ulquiorra. I really don't think you are."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened when he heard this.

"And to be honest I really like being around you. All those things might have happened, yes, but I don't believe you were doing those things out of your own free will. When I'm with you now, I feel comfortable and happy with you, and I don't know how else to explain what I feel."

She blinked and more tears fell from her eyes.

"Now please tell me what's wrong? You're worrying me! What do you mean before you lose everything?"

By this point, her heart was trembling and she couldn't control her tears. She began to sob uncontrollably as she barely managed to choke out, "Is something going to happen to you?"

Ulquiorra felt an extreme pain in his face and chest as he saw the girl cry and babble before him. It took him a moment to realize what he let slip out…

I deserve to at least know this much before I lose everything

He felt his jaw tighten and for the first time in his life, he felt water swell up in his eyes. He didn't want to lose her.

Ulquiorra began to flap his wings and hovered closer to Orihime's face. He watched as another tear slide past her cheek and he reached his hand out to touch her.

He tried his best to hold back his own as a tremendous amount of guilt made it's way through his very being. He didn't mean to raise his voice at her. He was just desperate and needed to know.

Orihime felt him touch her cheek but didn't open her eyes in fear of embarrassment. Instead she turned her head away, exposing more of her cheek to him, as she tried her best to cease her crying.

Little did she know though that that wasn't just his hand she felt.

Ulquiorra pressed his lips against her cheek. Flashes of images rushed through his head on wanting to pull her into him and kiss her lips…..but he knew he couldn't.

He pulled away. "I'm sorry." He finally spoke, his voice now a bit more under control. "I didn't mean to raise my voice at you."

At this point Orihime managed to open her eyes and look at him. The sincerity and smoothness in his voice sounded so peaceful, that she was expecting to see a full sized Ulquiorra sitting across from her, but of course that wasn't what she found,

"Ulquiorra, please tell me, are you okay? Why did you go to talk to Urahara today? What do you mean before you lose everything? Is something going to happen to you?"

Both their voices seemed to be more collected as they spoke. And truth be told, this was probably one of the deepest and realest conversations they've had since Ulquiorra first arrived.

"I'm fine." He lied.

Well….so much for realest.

"I just went to Urahara today to inquire him about a possible way to return to my original size."

Her eyes lit up upon hearing this!

"Did he give you any information?" She chirped.

Orihime's eagerness caused something warm to melt in Ulquiorra's chest. Seeing her worry about him and be engaged in his situation made him feel…...loved.

"He said he's working on it." Ulquiorra lied again.

He couldn't dare tell her the reality of his situation. He cared too much about her to burden her with the responsibility of forcing feelings onto herself for his sake.

Ulquiorra didn't want to do that to her…

...not after everything she's done for him, even if she doesn't know it.


Authors Notes:

Okay don't even ask me how long it's been! Those of you who have kept up with Pain and Pleasure kind of have an idea on what s going on. I just wanted to say I'm so sorry for the long wait, and wanted to let you know I haven't given up on this story. I still firmly plan on finishing it.

But to recap for those of you that don't read that story, a lot of stuff happened in my life. I was kicked out, spent a while being "homeless", I was trying to graduate from highschool, and now I have 2 part time jobs along with full time school. On top of that I was hit with depression and lost touch with everything and everyone. I'm still trying to get over it...it's a lot of pooop...I'm sorry for everything.

But I hope you enjoyed this mini chapter, and to please let me know what you think of it . Please if you have a moment, I would really appreciate a review letting me know your thoughts.

The next chapter will be longer I can promise you that! (Working on that now….)