A/N: No comments ;--; Its okay. Just as long people read my stuff, then I'm happy!


He thought a lot about what Orihime said. Her words kept replaying in his mind as if there was no other sound in the world. He concluded that no one could be freed. Everyone was just like each other, striving to survive, stumbling as they go. But Ulquiorra hasn't stumbled too far. He enjoys where he is now, bathed in the darkness of his room.

Ulquiorra enjoyed the darkness. It allowed him to contemplate about things, things that weren't trash or trivial, but on life and his future. He wanted to escape Aizen's reign and escape into eternal bliss. He wanted to lie on the sand, close his eyes, and never worry about a single thing. He wanted to be happy. But these were dreams and in the eyes of the white Espada, dreams never come true. They are the sand in your hand. Slowly, they all just fade away.

He didn't want to see Orihime when dinner came, but orders were orders. The last thing he wanted to hear was Aizen's disappointed comments. It made him feel like trash and he knew that he wasn't.

"I'm coming in, woman."

When he entered her room, the red head angel was sleeping soundly on her bed. The white sheets wrapped freely around her, giving the illusion of white wings of an angel. The flames of hair waved as Orihime's chest expand and contract. The image before the raven haired arrancar caused his chest to feel…odd, as if it was filled and empty at the same time. It felt fuzzy and made him feel uneasy. He wanted to wake her up, force her to eat, and go back to the comfort of his room, but the feeling in his chest begged him to stay and watch her as she slept. She reminded him of an old fairy tale that he heard Tousen tell Wonderwice. It was something about a beautiful princess who slept until her true love woke her up with a kiss. She was truly a sleeping beauty.

I sat on the floor, a few feet away from her bed, and against the wall. The shadows masked him so the only things visible from afar were his startling green eyes. He made a mental picture in his mind so he wouldn't forget before a click of the heel was made and he was taken by the brightness of the halls. He left her meal on the glass table with a cup of jasmine tea.

He came back a couple hours later only to find that the food was where he left it and the young girl still captivated by slumber. He picked up the small porcelain cup of tea. It was an oddly green color now that it was cold. It reminded him of his eyes. He glanced at the girl again before making his move beside her bed. Carefully as a mother is to her newborn child, he stroked her hair. The flames tickled his fingertips before control consumed him. He shouldn't been here. These weren't his order. Before Orihime could open her eyes to meet his, Ulquiorra's coat flapped in the quiet current and he was gone.

Orihime's grey eyes flickered open and looked around. She was alone and she didn't like it. She swung her legs until they touched the iciness of the unwelcoming floor. She was barefoot, which only made things worse. She saw her food laid out. She picked up chopsticks and allowed the pocket of rice enter her mouth.

It's cold.

She glimpsed at the cup beside her dish. The unnatural green caught her eye; it reminded her of Ulquiorra. She embraced the tea, even if she gagged afterward.


"Wanna play a game?" Orihime asked as she finished her breakfast in the morning.

"What kind of game?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I called…'prizes'."

"I am not familiar. Elaborate."

"First, you have to agree to play and we have to go to the busiest hallway in all of Las Noches. Trust me. It'll be fun. You look like you need fun."

"I will not agree to such nonsense. Aizen-sama would not approve."

"Fine. We'll go the second busiest hallway. C'mon. I haven't played this game since I was with my best friend, Tatsuki. Please?"

"Fine."

"YAY! Thank you, Ulquiorra-san!"


"Okay…here are the rules." Orihime whispered to her captor. They were in a large hallway where servants frantically roamed to serve their masters. A fine red line broke the hallway in half, leaving two pathways in and out of the confined space.

"If someone walks down your path then you get to win a point and if someone walks down mine, then I get a point. The winner is the one who gets the highest points. You can win anything involving the other person, a punch, a hug, a erm…" Orihime continued with a blush, "kiss. Anything. We'll exchange prizes in my room. What would you like to win?"

"You say your desired prize first. Then I'll decide on this nonsense game. I have no idea how someone would find pleasure with this activity." Ulquiorra muttered. He really did find all of this ridiculous and child-like. He would make Orihime do something boring in exchange of this boredom.

"Er…I would like you to dance with me. One song. I haven't danced in a while. There must have been a dozen dances at my school since I left. Okay, now you go." Orihime concluded.

"You will listen to my thirty minute symphony." Ulquiorra simple stated. Orihime's brow arched a bit, but ignored how confident and permanent his voice sounded.

"Okay. It starts…now. Keep track and don't cheat." Orihime warned before a crowd of lowly hollows and arrancar decided to come their way.

"I won't stoop down to that level. One." Ulquiorra noted as a freakish arrancar ran across the prisoner and captor. His eyes glued on the path, but he was almost certain that he heard an irritated sigh come out of her pouty lips.

"Two." Orihime tantalizingly whispered.

"Five."

"Fifteen."

After about an hour of people buzzing by, Ulquiorra decided that it would be best if Orihime returned to her room before one of the Espada or Aizen catches them outside of her room. She enters her room silently and turns to see the Espada in front of her, who doesn't dare to enter her room as his hand rests on the frame of the door. An invisible border divides them as if they aren't allowed to be together and fate is trying to separate them. He represents death and yet he is basked in the light and she is the sun and resides in the darkness.

"So tell me." Orihime begins to break the spell of silence.

"Ninety –five." He says just above as whisper. He can hear a light giggle and he finds himself enjoying the sound.

"Looks like I beat you, Ulqui." Orihime replies, eyes shining like beach pebbles in the sun.

"Don't call me that ridiculous nickname, woman. I demand that you tell me your score." Ulquiorra says frigidly.

"One hundred. You owe me a dance. Don't be a sore loser, Ulquiorra." Orihime says before giggling again.

She grabs his wrists and pulls him to the core of her room. Orihime closes the door behind her until the light is no longer swirls in her domain. The light of the moon hangs on their bodies as Orihime hesitantly pulls herself closer to Ulquiorra. She lays both hands on his shoulders and sways to her humming. Her grey orbs stares into alluring greens. She takes a breath and smells the crisp winter that belongs to Ulquiorra.

He is paralyzed by her actions, by her ginger hands on his shoulders, and her striking grey eyes. His eyes fix themselves on her as he feels the full and empty fuzziness enter his body again. The feeling is stronger than the last time and feels content with her nearness. He suddenly becomes confused when she begins to sway her hips and feels the urge to rest his hands on them.

Then he hears the light chuckle again.

"Ulquiorra, you're a statue." Orihime laughs before she takes his hand and places it on her hip.

Her sways remain constant as she shifts her feet so the two circle around the room. Ulquiorra's eyes widen a fraction once he realizes where he hand is, but doesn't hesitate to position his other hand on her other hip. Ulquiorra feels his bitter stoic boundary melt away and pulls himself even closer to the ruby head princess. He reallocates his hand to the small of her back and feels the strands of hair tickle his black-nailed fingertips. She continues to stare into his eyes and suddenly feels herself become flush at the epiphany that they are incredibly close to each other. She parts her lips and shuts her eyes to just as fraction.

"Kiss me." Orihime whispers, unsure of the outcome or why even saying it. She sees his eyes widen; it was the first time she saw him show any emotion.

"I can't." He whispers back. If he had a heart, it would probably collapse at the number of beats in such a short amount of time.

"Don't be afraid." She opens her eyes slightly to soak in his reaction.

She leans forward until their lips are merely centimeters apart. He can taste her breath and innocence. He is waiting just as she is waiting for the next step. The swaying stops as Ulquiorra finally decides to close the space between them. Their lips collide like two hands folding in one another. Light smashes into dark, the angel crashes into the devil. Time is endless like a river.

Orihime breaks off the kiss, her lips still parted and her eyes still slightly closed, but Ulquiorra pulls her to another kiss, more passionate this time. He asks for entry to her mouth and Orihime willingly allows the Espada to deepen the kiss. Her hand moves to his face and trails the emerald tears as she moans in his mouth. His taste is intoxicating.

This time Ulquiorra pulls away and removes his hand off of her, then placing them in the depths of his pockets.

"I have to go, Orihime." He whispers, keeping the pleasurable acts a secret. She understandingly nods as he walks out and the light of the hallway takes him away before the darkness swells up again. Orihime decides to sit on her snow white couch and wonders if what she is doing is right and if she still loves her Shinigami white knight.


"Welcome, Espada!" The aspiring god exclaims as the room is consumed by once living beings.

Ulquiorra sits where he usually does and waits for commands. He can't help but feel shaken up physically and mentally. A candle just ignited in Orihime's room. He fears it growing uncontrollably if the passion continues, but also fears if he blows it out, then he is hurting Orihime. It's a small flame and should be blown away before the warmth devours everything.

"I have unfortunate news, but first, how about a cup of tea?" The ex-captain asks his "children". Porcelain saucers and tiny glasses fly across table as servant quickly pour the deep green substance inside.

"Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends have invaded Hueco Mundo." The ex-captain continues, "Do not underestimate their abilities. They and our Orihime have invaded Soul Society before. Do not panic, my Espada, as long as you side with me, we are invincible. Return to your quarters and you'll receive commands as Kurosaki advances toward us. Also, this hiccup is going to have a small impact in my plan. Expect new ranks by next week and a new Espada to match before Kurosaki comes our way."

"Aizen-sama, pardon my interruption." Ulquiorra begins, "but I think Inoue Orihime needs…more persuasion before these actions take place." Everything was going so fast. His head was beginning to spin.

"Are you questioning me, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked in his genuine fatherly voice. His chin rested on the palm of his hand.

"No, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra reluctantly stated.

"Then there is no reason or room for sudden concern. You are all dismissed." Aizen concluded.

All of the Espada began to file out of the majestic room. Ulquiorra stepped away from his siblings and started to walk into a deserted hallway. He needed a plan.


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