Chapter 40: Shots Fired

February 19th

Bang bang bang.

"Urahara-san!"

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang.

"If you do not open this door in the next three seconds I will break it down!"

He raised his fist again, preparing to lower it back onto the door, when it flew open.

"What is the matter, Cifer-san? Urahara asked, exasperated.

Ulquiorra staggered back half a step to avoid hitting the shopkeeper in the face, and stood before him in an obvious state of distress. It took a moment for him to collect his thoughts and calm his breathing before he growled, "How could you just let that shinigami walk out of here!"

"What am I supposed to do, Cifer-san? Keep him prisoner here?"

"Yes!" Ulquiorra shouted his answer with wide, imploring eyes and trembling hands.

Urahara rolled his eyes and sighed, making no attempt to disguise his irritation. "What is this all about, Cifer-san?"

Ulquiorra was unable to control the volume of his voice, and didn't care to try anyway. "You cannot just let him walk out of here unsupervised! He cannot be trusted! What if he goes after Orihime? I'm trapped in this gigai; I wouldn't make it in time!"

Urahara narrowed his eyes at Ulquiorra and appraised him. "What is it you are worried about, Cifer-san? That he will attack her again? Because I can assure you he has successfully subjugated his hollow. It is no longer a threat."

Ulquiorra brought his hands to his head and tugged at his hair, turning to the side and pacing back and forth, growling, "No longer a threat. No longer a threat!? How can you say that!?" He turned back to face Urahara and threw his hands to his sides. "Of course he is a threat!"

Urahara opened a drawer, took out a suppression necklace, and approached Ulquiorra carefully, trying not to spook him. "There, there, Cifer-san, you must try to calm down, you risk damaging your gigai," he said gently. Ulquiorra stopped momentarily, bowing his head and allowing Urahara to slip the necklace over it. He raised his head and looked at Urahara as he panted, trying to calm down.

"Now, why do you think he's a threat when you know his hollow is controlled?"

"Whether or not his hollow is controlled is irrelevant! He's shown a pattern of disregard for the woman's wellbeing."

"But Cifer-san, Kurosaki and Inoue had a very nice relationship before the hollow began to gain control of Kurosaki's mind. Now that the hollow is not a problem, the two of them should be able to coexist without issue."

"Of course it's an issue! Can't you see? They can't be together!" Ulquiorra shouted again, stepping toward Urahara.

Urahara backed up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ah, I think I know what this is about."

"Do you?" Ulquiorra asked without filtering the malice from his tone.

Urahara nodded and smiled. "You're in love with her."

xXxXx

Ulquiorra spent the rest of the evening holed up in his room at Urahara's insistence; his emotions were running too hot at the moment. Love. Yes, he had heard of it. He had read up on it. It had previously occurred to him that it might be an appropriate word to describe his attachment to the woman. However, now that he risked losing her to Kurosaki, again, the once nebulous idea was in stark focus.

Despite being more or less grounded, Ulquiorra was unable to sit idly by for long while his rival was out doing god-knows-what. He picked up his phone to see that he already had a message from Orihime.

From: Orihime Inoue

To: Ulquiorra Cifer

February 19th, 5:29 p.m.

What did you say to Kurosaki-kun? He said he saw "my 'boyfriend'" at Urahara's. What did you tell him about us?

Ulquiorra felt a stinging sensation zip through his chest and pressure inside his head. Was she angry? It seemed that way. Further, she had already spoken with the shinigami? He had only been back a couple hours! Anxiety started creeping its way up his body, starting with his toes. He tried typing out a response, but his mind wouldn't cooperate and he found himself unable to form any coherent thoughts. He could not continue as he was feeling. He closed the messaging app and called her.

Ring

Ring

He felt like he was going to be sick.

Ring

"Hello?"

Her voice was not angry. Ulquiorra's throat tightened but his body relaxed somewhat. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. He coughed and cleared his throat, finally able to say in a gravelly voice, "I received your text."

"And?"

He was desperate to mend the perceived rift between them. "I'm sorry. I didn't say anything. I only asked him what his intentions were, and warned him that I intended to ensure your safety." The words came out quickly, and her silence only prodded him onward. "He called me your 'little friend'. I do not know what he meant by that. Urahara-san interrupted and separated us right after that."

Orihime sighed on the other side of the line. "So you didn't tell him about us?"

"No."

She sighed again. "I should have known," she muttered.

"I'm sorry, woman. I do not know what I did to trouble you-"

Orihime interrupted. "Don't worry about it, Ulquiorra, it's not your fault."

"What happened, then?" he asked, a tentative feeling of half dread, half relief seeping through his veins. He could hear her breathe hard and then a muted thud, as if she had allowed herself to fall onto her bed.

"He called you my "boyfriend", and I didn't deny it. I guess I kind of confirmed it, as far as he's concerned. Not that I think you're my boyfriend," she started to backpedal, embarrassed. "I told him that we haven't really decided anything but that I meant to tell him about us in person. I didn't want him to think… I don't know what I didn't want him to think. I guess I just wanted to be able to tell him in person."

Ulquiorra didn't know what to say. He had a question though. "What's a boyfriend?"

Orihime squirmed in discomfort. "Er, a boyfriend is a guy who is, um, well, when a guy and a girl like each other a lot and want to be together as a couple, then they talk about it and decide to be boyfriend and girlfriend?" she said with rising inflection. "They agree that their relationship is special, and different to just a friendship. It's like Sado-kun and Tatsuki-chan."

"So is it simply a matter of status and affiliation? Like Espada and fraccion?"

"No, they also do things together that they don't do with anyone else, um, romantic things."

"Please clarify."

Orihime wanted to crawl into a hole. She covered her eyes in an effort to stave off the impending humiliation. "Um, things like hold hands, and hug, and kiss."

There was a brief pause.

"In that case I propose to be your boyfriend." He said it so intentionally. It was a declaration. Orihime could not breathe. There was silence on the line until she finally managed a sharp inhalation. He waited a beat more before adding, "Do you accept?"

Orihime felt torn. Her first impulse was an enthusiastic 'yes', but something was holding her back. "Um, I think, Ulquiorra, that it would be better if I didn't answer right away. I want to say yes, but I'm afraid that if I do we'll end up rushing into something we're not ready for."

There was a long pause. "It's him, isn't it? He said you would forsake me when you learned of his return," Ulquiorra's voice sounded hollow.

Orihime's heart lurched in her chest. It physically hurt her to hear him feeling so pained. "I don't want to be with him anymore, Ulquiorra."

"Then say yes."

"I can't, not yet."

Ulquiorra was beginning to feel desperate. "I need to see you," he said in thickened voice.

"You'll see me on Saturday for training. It's only a day and a half away."

"I need to see you now."

"Why?"

"I miss you."

Tears pricked her eyes and her heart began to soar. "I miss you, too."

Ulquiorra sighed, relieved to hear it. "I will pick you up after school tomorrow."

Orihime whined. The more he offered the more she wanted to give in. "I wish you could, but I already made plans with Tatsuki to go home with her and eat dinner at her house."

Ulquiorra released a long breath through his nostrils. "Fine. I will see you on Saturday," he complained, before adding in an unusually gentle tone, "Good night, Orihime."

It was all she could do not to squeal. "Good night, Ulquiorra."

xXxXx

February 21st

Orihime had allowed Ulquiorra a hug and a quick peck on the lips before they got started on her training. His plan for that day was for her to continue practicing something they had started earlier in the week: levitating herself on her shield. So far she had only lost concentration once, falling the 18 inches to the ground but landing on her feet. She was currently working on increasing and decreasing altitude, and it was going well.

"Woman, see if you can catch me," Ulquiorra called out. He stayed in his gigai, finding it easier to just stay in it if there was not a particular reason leave it. Regardless, he was very fast and Orihime had a hard time controlling her shield, often not able to go fast enough, stop, or maneuver in time to keep up with his twists and turns. They kept it up for another ten minutes or so when Ulquiorra called for a lunch break.

"So, is it enjoyable?" he asked her as she took the last bite of a cucumber and ham sandwich.

She looked at him with a puzzled expression but said nothing on account of her full mouth.

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Riding on your shield. Is it enjoyable?"

Orihime smiled through her bite and nodded enthusiastically.

"I would like to experience it. Let's see if you are strong enough to carry two," he said, daring her.

Orihime wiped the corners of her mouth and stood, putting her hands on her hips. "You act like it's going to be a challenge." She laughed, adding, "Let's go!"

Ulquiorra set their garbage aside as she conjured her shield and lowered it parallel to the ground.

"Hop on," she said and waited as he stepped onto it carefully, one foot at a time.

"This doesn't hurt you at all, does it?" he asked, testing out the feel of the shield's surface, shifting his weight from one foot to another. It was warm and felt a bit like standing on the surface of spongey turf after a rain as his feet sunk into it slightly.

"No, I can't really feel you on there, other than the weight of your spiritual pressure. It's lovely, by the way."

Ulquiorra looked at her with a bemused expression. "Lovely?"

Orihime nodded and smiled. "Yes. It has a particular quality. It's strong and, um, soothing. It has a scent like, um, how do I describe it?"

"Rain? Because that is just my shampoo," Ulquiorra interrupted.

"No, Mr. Funnybones. Not rain, although I do love the smell of your shampoo. It's more exotic, like one of those scented candles at those expensive home interior shops. Almost like the way green shiso tastes; herbaceous but with like, a juicy, woodsy undertone…"

Ulquiorra almost rolled his eyes at her. "You're going off on a tangent."

Orihime gave him a wry smile. "I'm trying to pay you a compliment, but if you don't want one…"

"Oh, no, you can tell me that you think I am lovely all you like," he interrupted again, this time with soft eyes.

Orihime stepped onto her shield and stood on her tiptoes, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before turning to face forward. "I will then. But first, hold on tight!" she said, raising her arms in front of her and levitating her shield. When it was about four feet off the ground, she started to move it forward. As she tried to increase their speed, it lurched forward a bit, causing Ulquiorra to lose his balance and reach out, grabbing her by the waist for stability. He didn't let go after he regained his balance.

"You alright back there?" she asked with a giggle.

"Yes," he answered, trying not to alert her to his increasingly dry mouth and accelerating heartrate.

"Alright, then, here we go!" she shouted, leaning into her shield as it rose at an angle, speed accelerating. His grip on her waist tightened. She took them on a spin around the main clearing of the training grounds before swooping under an outcropping of rocks near one side. "Wahoo!" she shouted, and despite his fear for her safety, Ulquiorra would be lying if he said he didn't feel exhilarated.

All was going well until she was making her second pass through the main area and went high to go over a tall rock. She had been so focused on getting over it that she didn't notice that they were getting dangerously close to the sky-painted wall. When they grazed it, she was able to stop immediately, but the suddenness jostled Ulquiorra, whose grip on her waist caused her to fall backward into his lap and lose concentration. Her shield dissipated beneath them in an instant and she shrieked as they began to plummet to the ground. Ulquiorra kept his grip on her, keeping her on top of him as they fell. He took the brunt of it on his back when they made contact with the ground.

Orihime had the wind knocked out of her lungs, and laid on top of Ulquiorra for a minute while she wheezed for breath. When she finally could, she sprang up on her hands and looked down at Ulquiorra in horror. He looked broken.

"No! Ulquiorra!" she said in a frantic whisper as she searched for his vital signs. Just as she brought a hand to his neck, his eyes opened wide and he gasped for air. His eyes moved around, wild with terror, until they found hers, and then he reached for her head with one hand and pulled it down to his face in an urgent kiss.

She pulled back a moment later and rocked back on her heels. She was completely uninjured. She could not say the same for him, and he grimaced as he looked down at his ribs. More than one was sticking out at an odd angle, and blood was seeping through his shirt and out of the corner of his mouth.

"Woman, if you wouldn't mind," he paused to wince and whimper, "please heal me."

Orihime wanted to slap herself for not doing it right away. She called out her healing dome over his ribs and organs, concentrating on that life-threatening area first. She sat in deep concentration for what felt like a long time.

After she felt like he was starting to improve, she looked at his face apologetically. "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra, it's not healing as fast as it could be because you're in a gigai. It works much faster when it's just a spiritual body I'm healing. Are you starting to feel any better?"

Ulquiorra took a deep breath and coughed. "Yes, it's significantly improved, but it still hurts. I think the organ damage is healed; just the muscle and skeletal damage remains."

Orihime nodded. "I'd really like to get you somewhere more comfortable. Would it be alright if I moved you?"

Ulquiorra looked at her face with a fearful expression but said nothing.

"I promise I won't hurt you. I have had this idea before, where I combine my shield and my dome and create kind of an ambulatory pod. You should only feel weightlessness. I just want to get you up to your bed so you can be comfortable; healing the rest of your injuries is going to take a while. The damage to your gigai is more extensive than I originally thought."

Ulquiorra managed a tiny smile. "Do it. I trust you."

Orihime expanded her healing dome over his entire body and conjured her shield under him, then carefully levitated him up to the door to the shoten. Once she opened the door, it was a bit trickier, maneuvering him around furniture, through hallways, and upstairs, but she was focused and determined. When she got to his room, she pulled back his blankets and set him down on the sheets, allowing her shield to fall away and keeping the healing dome going.

"How do you feel?" she asked nervously.

He smiled at her through half-lidded eyes. "Increasingly well. You were right, I felt no pain during the journey and it is much more comfortable here."

Orihime smiled in relief. "Is there anything I can get for you? Water? A warm towel?"

Ulquiorra shook his head at her suggestions, then asked in a hopeful voice, "You could join me?"

Orihime's cheeks flared red and her eyes went wide. "Ulquiorra!" she said, scandalized.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and smiled, trying not to laugh. "I did not mean to insinuate anything. I am still far too injured to move." He opened his eyes and looked at her affectionately, "I just want to be near you."

Orihime could not refuse him. He was so vulnerable and sweet at that moment. She carefully sat on the side of his bed and took one of his hands. He tugged on it slightly as he asked, "You can lie down and continue to heal, right?"

"Mm-hmm," she said as she nodded and then lowered her upper body onto the mattress and pulled her legs up as well, careful not to touch or jostle him. Once she was settled, he released her hand and snaked his under her neck, pulling her face into his clavicle.

"I would like to lie here like this…"

Orihime took a deep breath, wrapping herself in his smell. As she began to relax, the memory of seeing him so broken on the sand of the training ground revisited her mind. She gently nuzzled into his chest and said in a choppy whisper, "Oh Ulquiorra. That was so terrifying. I thought I was going to lose you again."

"I'm not going anywhere without you, woman," he said in a sleepy voice, letting his cheek fall to rest on her head.

"Thank you."

xXxXxXx

Ulquiorra had fallen asleep after a few minutes of lying together. After about another hour, she had finished healing him, and felt an urgent need to use the restroom. She snuck out of his room quietly and padded over to the facilities. After she was done, she checked in on him and found him still fast asleep, so she went downstairs. It wasn't long until she ran into Urahara.

"Well well, Inoue-san. A little birdie tells me your relationship with our Cifer-san has become a bit more serious."

"What do you mean, Urahara-san?"

He flashed his brows at her. "You were spotted coming out of his bedroom."

"It's not what you think. He was injured during our training and needed to lie down while I healed him."

"Oh," Urahara replied, his shoulders falling. He was a little disappointed for his permanent houseguest. "Still, Inoue-san, I am aware that your relationship has become romantic, regardless of whether or not you have, uh, committed yourself to him. That being the case, I think it would be in everyone's best interests if you had a little chat with Kurosaki-san, to avoid potential miscommunication and conflict. Just a suggestion."

Orihime nodded. "That was my intention, Urahara-san. He already kind of knows, but I need to speak with him about it properly. He has not returned my last text, though."

"When was that?"

"Thursday."

Urahara sighed. "I suggest you call him or go to meet him in person. I would hate for misunderstandings to fester."

"You're right," she looked down at her feet, not exactly looking forward to it.

"If Cifer-san is healed, I think you should go at once. I will explain that you had to leave when he wakes."

"Thank you, Urahara-san."

"Not at all, Inoue-san. Let me know how it goes, will you?"

Orihime nodded and left.

xXx

She waited until she was only a couple of blocks from her house before she called him.

Ring

Ring

"Hello? Inoue?"

"Yes, it's me. I wanted to talk to you."

Ichigo's sigh came through to her loud and clear. "Actually, Inoue, this isn't a good time-"

"It'll only take a minute, I promise."

"Ori- Inoue, I know what's going on. I'm with Chad; he told me you are training with him. You pretty much told me that you two are seeing each other. I don't need to know the details."

"I- Kurosaki-kun, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean-"

Ichigo interrupted. "It's fine, Inoue. We broke up, remember? I told you to see other people. You could have picked someone who is not my former mortal enemy, but hey, whatareyougonnado?" he said, his sarcasm biting.

Orihime was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry."

He sighed, and trying to be kinder, said, "What's done is done, Inoue. I'm not mad at you. I just am not ready to talk to you right now. I hope you can understand that."

"I understand," she replied in a tiny voice.

"Good. I'll see you again when school starts up in April. Take care, Inoue."

The line went dead.

xXxXx

Later that evening when Ulquiorra woke up, he found a note from Urahara explaining that he had sent Orihime home. He immediately texted her, but she didn't respond. He waited until after dinner to call her.

"Hello?"

"Good evening. You didn't reply to my text," he said with a worried tone.

"I'm sorry, it's been a rough afternoon."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said quietly. If he heard correctly, he was able to detect that she had been crying recently.

"You are not fine. You are distressed. What happened?"

Orihime sighed. "I called Kurosaki-kun to explain what is going on between us. I wanted to apologize for not being able to tell him about you and I in person, and I wanted to find out how he was feeling. He told me that he didn't want to talk to me," she said with a sad little pout.

There was no response.

"Ulquiorra, are you there?"

"I want you to stay away from him. He can't be trusted." She understood from the cold tone of his voice that it was not a request.

She furrowed her brows, irritated. "You can't tell me what to do, Ulquiorra. Whatever happened with his hollow has been fixed, and he was my friend for a long time before we were ever a couple."

Again there was silence.

Her ire only increased. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing," his tone was inscrutable.

Silence again.

She huffed. "Well, since I've got you on the phone, I guess it's a good time to tell you that I can't see you again until the school term is over."

Ulquiorra's eyes went wide, and he felt pressure at the base of his throat where his hollow hole used to be. He was only able to gasp quietly.

Orihime hummed, pleased to have his attention. "Since you don't seem to be able to trust me, I'll tell you that Kurosaki-kun is not coming back until the new school year. I can't see you because I have exams all week and I have to study. The end of the term is March 2nd."

Ulquiorra quickly did the math. "That's nine days."

"Yeah, just a little over a week," she said, her voice softening in response to his worry in his.

It didn't help; he was starting to panic. "No, that's not acceptable. I have to be able to see you, or talk to you, if only for a short time. Can I at least walk you to and from school?"

"I'm sorry, Ulquiorra. I'm not trying to distance myself from you, but this is really important for my future."

"Please, woman," he didn't know how to finish his question because he wasn't sure what he was asking for.

"I suppose you can walk me to school, but not home. I just know that if you walk me home we'll be tempted to spend more time together and it will cut into my study time."

Ulquiorra relaxed and his voice began to return to normal. "It is agreed then. I will see you on Monday morning, then. I remain receptive if you change your mind."

Orihime giggled at how easily he was placated. "I'll keep it in mind."

Ulquiorra chuckled as well, and when it died down, he added, "Thank you, woman, for today. Not just for healing me."

"What do you mean?"

"For lying with me. Comforting me."

Orihime blushed. "I enjoyed that part, too. I'm sorry I was responsible for you getting hurt."

"Nonsense. That was the second most exhilarating experience I've had since living in this gigai."

Orihime laughed. "Really? What could be more exhilarating than a free fall?"

His voice darkened. "Kissing you."

Pause.

"Ulquiorra, you are going to get me into trouble."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Would you stop flirting?"

"No." There was a smile in his voice.

She laughed for a second and paused again. "I can't wait for exams to be over."

"Neither can I."

"Goodnight, troublemaker."

"Goodnight, Orihime."

xXxXx

March 2nd

On the last day of school, Ichigo had made plans with Chad to hang out at his place and unwind with action movies and junk food. He arrived at school just as it was getting out and ran into a very hurried Orihime.

He put his hands out in front of himself and they landed on her shoulders to stop her from slamming into his chest. "Whoa, there, Inoue, watch where you're going!" he scolded gently.

"Oh! Kurosaki-kun! I'm sorry I didn't see you there," she blathered as she got her bearings. She took a deep breath and looked up into his face. Although her feelings for him were different, he was still as handsome as ever, and she found herself blushing. "It's very good to see you looking so well, Kurosaki-kun," she said bashfully.

The familiar attraction welled up in Ichigo as well. He put a hand behind his head and scratched the back of his neck. "You look well, yourself, Inoue." He looked down at her with a guarded smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm meeting up with Chad. Have you seen him?"

"Oh, yes, he was right behind me! He probably got held up by Asano-kun, you know how he is."

They shared a laugh at that, and when it ended, things started feeling mildly awkward again.

"Well, I better get going, Kurosaki-kun. I have training today. I'll see you again soon, I hope."

"Yeah, see you around, Inoue."

He watched as she trotted off with an abstract smile on his face. It felt good to see her and not feel heartbroken or painfully awkward. She was kind, as always. That helped.

He was about to turn around to the school gates when he saw him.

He saw them. He was reaching out to her. She reached back. They embraced. Then he dipped his head down toward her face and he couldn't see them anymore. He just saw red. Before he knew what he was doing he was yanking Ulquiorra away from her by the collar.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime yelped before Ulquiorra even knew what was going on.

Ichigo got his enraged face right into Ulquiorra's and barked, "Stay away from her!"

Ulquiorra's face remained impassive but for the slight narrowing of his eyes. "Make me," he challenged, his voice seething.

Orihime pulled on Ichigo's elbow, but he ignored her. As the two males glared at each other, she released an exasperated grumble and put a shield between them, causing them both to jump back in opposite directions.

Ulquiorra immediately began to apologize to her, but Orihime stopped him. "No, Ulquiorra. He attacked you for no reason."

"What the hell, Orihime?" Ichigo yelled, not caring about who was watching, which at this point was much of the student body. "Are you serious about this guy? Why does it have to be him?"

Tears began to form in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. "You were the one who broke up with me, Kurosaki-kun. You did. Not me. You don't get a say in who I go out with now," Ichigo opened his mouth to interrupt, but she doubled down. "And yes, I am serious about him. He has been nothing but kind and respectful to me. He doesn't treat me like a liability."

Ichigo took a step backward and shook his head. "You're crazy, Inoue."

That was just rude. Orihime had had enough. She rolled her eyes at him and said coolly, "Leave us alone if you're going to act like this. I expect more maturity from you, Kurosaki-kun. I'll see you around," she said, linking her arm in Ulquiorra's and leading him away. She didn't make it around the corner before those tears in her eyes started to fall.

Chad jogged up beside Ichigo as they walked out of sight. "What happened?"

Ichigo shook his head. "I can't believe she's seeing that asshole."

"Ulquiorra?" Chad asked.

"Who else?" Ichigo said, looking at Chad like the larger man had a screw loose.

"I never met him before he started living here, Ichigo, but while you were gone I got to know him a bit. He's not that bad. You should give him a chance."

Ichigo looked at him with betrayal. "What did you say?"

"Ichigo, you are my best friend. And I understand you not liking the guy. He did technically kill you. I understand if you don't want me being friendly with him, and I will avoid him if it makes you feel better; I don't know how I would feel if I was in your position. But Inoue is right. You broke it off with her. You can't tell her what to do. And I think it might ease your mind if you knew that he is good to her."

"Well you think wrong," Ichigo said, not believing what he was hearing.

Chad smirked. He knew his best friend better than Ichigo thought he did. "Tatsuki likes him too."

"Please just stop," Ichigo whined.

xXxXx

Ulquiorra was quiet for most of the walk to the shoten. He understood that Orihime had complicated feelings for the shinigami and he didn't begrudge her that, but there was still the issue of their unresolved relationship status that bothered him. His fears were slightly alleviated when she stood up to Ichigo and told him that she was serious about their relationship, but it wasn't enough.

After their last overly-exciting training session and a week-plus break, they decided to review fundamentals. Orihime stood with her back to a large boulder on one side of the room and had been practicing using Tsubaki to cut through rocks on the other side for a little over ten minutes when Ulquiorra came to stand close to her ear and asked, "So, have you given any thought to my proposal?"

Orihime smiled slightly. "Of course I have."

"You know I dislike ambiguity," he said, turning her head toward him as Tsubaki returned to her hairpins.

Her face was apologetic. "I know, and I'm sorry, I've just been so busy with exams that I haven't had enough time to think about it."

He slowly brought his lips to her in a soft, brief kiss, then whispered, "What is there to think about?"

"Everything," she said with a knowing smile.

Before she knew what was happening, Ulquiorra had her caged against the rock behind her, his hands resting against it on either side of her head. He brought his burning green eyes down to hers and searched their umber depths for the answers he sought. In a somewhat detached, quiet tone, he let his thoughts find an unfiltered voice, "I would submit myself and all my power to you. The Hogyoku would submit to you," he paused to kiss her again, just a lingering peck, before finding her eyes again.

Orihime's body felt heavy with the onset of arousal, and responded in a breathy voice, "That's what I'm afraid of. Our connection is very powerful. If we don't take it slow it could burn us alive."

Ulquiorra's eyelids lowered a bit. "I would be willing to take that risk." He kissed her again, tasting her lips this time.

Orihime's cheeks were splashed with red. "I'm not." She pushed him back a step, gently. "I'm not willing to risk destroying what we've built between us." She stepped out from under his gaze. "Maybe for a while we should suspend training down here and just go out on some normal dates. In public," she added with an embarrassed smile.

He regarded her for a moment. "Does that mean we're "dating"?" he asked with a gleam in his eyes.

Orihime's smile widened into a grin. "Yes it does."

"Does that mean you've accepted my proposal?"

Orihime's grin took on a shyer color, but she continued to smile as she nodded.

His chest swelled. A weight fell off his back. He stood taller and his shoulders dropped. He took the few steps between them and picked her up in a swooping motion and pressed her to his chest.

"Ulquiorra?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shirt.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?" she asked after she managed to free her face from the fabric of his shirt.

"Celebrating with my girlfriend," he said as he grinned, a tiny dimple appearing on his left cheek, before capturing her lips again.

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