"I see you've done as ordered." He said, a hint of near surprise in his tone. Rukia glanced up, her eyes narrowed, "it wouldn't do to weaken myself voluntarily." She watched his approach warily; the door closing behind him without any motion on his part to close it. It must be on sensory lock, she thought. Escape was impossible him with before the only means of exit.

"...for when Ichigo comes for me." Rukia said carefully, gauging his reaction.

"That is a foolish notion," the Espada was swift to repudiate.

"How do you know?! You don't know Ichigo!" her voice was rising, her assumed calmness fleeing. She couldn't stand meek and silent when one of her closest friends was being insulted!

To her surprise, the corners of his mouth quirked. But he didn't smile. "I do not know that foolish trash? Quite the contrary..."

His look made a ripple of fear shudder down her spine. One that she was angry with herself for feeling. "What do you mean by that?!"

"Do you not know?" A secretive, almost sly look her way.

"Know what?!"

Her impatience seemed to amuse him more. "Ichigo Kurosaki chose to continue on and leave you to die."

Her heart was pounding so loud in her ears, she wondered that he couldn't hear it. "So...so what?"

"Where was your so-called bond then?"

"Shut up."

"Is that what a friend would do? Leave their Nakama--"

"Shut up! Shut up!" she covered her ears, sinking down to the floor. Not wanting to hear the poisonous lies. Of course she knew rescuing Orihime was their priority. She had told him herself not to worry about her, she could take care of herself. But--but...

"--alone--"

"STOPIT-STOPIT-STOPIT!!!!!!!!!!"

"...he must not care for you." The Espada finished quietly.

For some reason...it still...hurt. Hearing it come from the indifferent mouth of the Espada to whom none of it could possibly matter. It hurt inside, like a knife was being driven in between her breasts, plunging into her heart. Twisting. Piercing. Going deeper than she had thought possible.

Her eyes began to tear.

Her blurry gaze rose to his face. The slightest of smiles curved those cruel lips. Laugh at me will you? She flew at him blindly, her rage suffocating her.

She cried out when his nails dug into the flesh of her wrists, squeezing them until her fists slackened, fingers trembling, numbing from the circulation being cut off. Only inches away, she stared into his hateful face, powerless. His expression showed disinterest at her teeth grating together. Her trembling only increasing as her arms were jerked high her head, her back colliding with the wall.

Again. She was back at the same place.

Trapped.

Weak.

Unable to tear his mocking eyes from their sockets.

"Do you hate me?"

"Yes." She whisper-hissed, burning tears trailing down her cheeks. Shame none the least of the emotions boiling like acid in her mind and heart.

"Good." he whispered, lowering his face to hers, roughly taking her lips. He felt her writhe, her body grinding into the padded wall, her mouth working furiously to repel his attack. She was no submissive, this one. Her jaw weakened; his teeth scraped her bottom lip. He tasted coppery sweetness before she bit down just as savagely on his top lip.

Was this it? Could this be what Ichimaru had taken so much pleasure in watching...foreplay?

Ulquiorra slanted his mouth harder against the woman's. Their tongues clashing, battling for dominance. If so...his hands had loosened on her wrists, one sliding to brutally grasp at the deep locks at the back of her head, fingers twisting in the thick softness. He felt her wince, his fingers crooking, clawing into her scalp now.

...he found it not so unpleasant a task as previously.

~To be continued~

AN: Thanks for reading :)

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Reviews appreciated :)