Gunfire & Paper Hearts

Chapter 2: Precious Thing

A/N: Hi again ^^ I'm grateful for the positive response I got from the first chapter – I really enjoyed writing it, and this new idea is intriguing beyond belief x) For some reason, I really enjoy writing AU fics… You're not limited to a predetermined setting and you can mould pretty much everything to your own liking x) And I'm, of course, gonna take full advantage of that xD

Enjoy the new chapter if possible ^^


Precious things were by definition meant to be protected – Ulquiorra knew that much. But he had never really been in the possession of a 'precious thing' before… How do you protect something which might brake if you try to touch it? Do you lock them inside a cage where no one can ever lay a hand on them? Or would the state of entrapment be worse than the possibility of getting flawed outside of the cage?

Ulquiorra knew that he was not the right man to protect a young girl like Orihime Inoue. She was innocent, alluring and most of all naïve; if a stranger approached her with a kind smile and a gun hidden behind his back, she would happily follow to her own death.

She made every inch of his being irk with the need to shake some sense into her head; a head that was filled to the brim with genuine people and the belief that justice always prevailed. Apparently, she had never experienced the real world outside of her window and the harsh truth that was hidden behind a massive wall that encircled the Porello family's main house.

Had she ever seen the city outside of that wall? Had she ever experienced robbery, rape, murder or all the other horrible things that happened to people in the city on a regular basis?

If it wasn't because she had ignited some unfamiliar sense of fascination in the depths of his chest, he would never have accepted to look after such a painfully oblivious girl.

However, it was not just her looks that had brought forth the fascination inside of him; the way her long auburn hair swayed lightly whenever she would tilt her head, the small sparks of joy that would fill her eyes whenever people came to visit her, or the way she seemed to ignore the fact that several of the male servants watched her with hungry eyes… no, it was not her body that was the trigger of his interest…

It was her beliefs.


"I'm so glad you chose to accept my offer," Aldo grinned. "I was convinced that you would decline immediately."

Ulquiorra sighed in a sudden sense of defeat. The money was alluring, yes, and he took pride in always completing a task at hand, but to protect was not a thing that came natural to him. Could he actually do it? "What does the job require from me?" He figured that it would be preferable to know all about his new 'job'. "6 months is a long time, even with the amount of money you are offering me."

"I know I know, but I hoped that you would understand." Aldo smiled in an attempt to apologize. "You see, because we're gonna marry Orihime to the heir of another influential family, she's a frequent target of kidnappings and even attempted assassinations." Even though Aldo tried to hide it with a smile, Ulquiorra noticed the worry in the depths of his grey eyes. A small laugh rolled across his lips. "I guess that not everybody approves of their marriage."

Ulquiorra tried to be unfazed by the revolting piece of information presented to him. Normally, he wouldn't have bothered to feel a slight sense of worry when someone was the target of violence; after all, when did a hired killer feel remorse for his own targets? He would apply to double standards then.

However, it was somehow different with the young girl that had smiled innocently at him and asked why he would choose to be eternally crying. He had killed grown up men, women and even a small child once… but the simple fact that a smiling and innocent girl like her, was being targeted without a valid reason, made his stomach turn in a sudden feeling of disgust.

"I see." His response was short, while his voice and general appearance hid his inner conflict perfectly. "How often do such events take place?"

"It depends." Aldo lowered his eyes to the floor. "Once a week I guess… but since we've kept her inside more often, it has been reduced to once a month. After all, the security in here is better than outside."

Ulquiorra casted a quick glance towards the door that lead out of the room – disbelief filling his deep green eyes. He hadn't seen any guards yet… based on that knowledge; it seemed highly illogical to him that the place was guarded properly.

"So, can I count on you, mister Cifer?" Aldo sounded hopeful.

"You're smothering her way too much, and I'm not the gentle type." Ulquiorra wanted to come clean – present to the worried father just what! Kind of man he wanted to protect his precious daughter. "I'm not gonna be a playmate to her - I won't read bedtime stories if she can't sleep at night, and I won't show compassion. I understand that you need someone to protect her and that I'm probably the most suitable for killing her pursuers, but I can't show any emotional interest in her." He paused. "Are you able to accept that?"

Aldo nodded unsurely at the intimidating man before him. It was funny because… earlier, when he had picked him up in Orihime's room, he had heard them talk casually about secrets and the unusual tattoos that adorned both of his cheeks… he thought that, perhaps he as a man, would treat her like a lady rather than just a object.

"I understand." Aldo lowered his head in defeat. "Emotional attachment is not a part of the job, I just want you to look after her and make sure that she won't get hurt."

They talked for a few more minutes until they reached an agreement, after which Ulquiorra rose from his chair and left the room. As he walked, he couldn't help but think deeper about Aldo's last words. To look after her would be easy enough, but 'to make sure that she wouldn't get hurt' could be problematic. He assumed that Aldo had been talking about physical pain, but if the girl was kept inside of the mansion, a prison in Ulquiorra's eyes, he figured that she wouldn't stay mentally healthy for very long…

Every small bird needs to flap its wings once in a while.


"Mister Cifer" The young girl smiled innocently at him as she immediately rose from her seat to greet him properly. "Good afternoon." As always, the young girl seemed to emit a warm glow by just standing there with a smile.

Ulquiorra didn't nod or react to her polite greeting – instead, he stated his reason for being there. "I accepted your father's job." He slowly approached her with casual steps – his posture confident and calm. "I will be serving here for the next 6 months."

Orihime's face quickly changed from mild surprise into joy. He didn't understand why a stranger like himself, could sprout such a sense of joy in her brown innocent eyes… But apparently, it did. "That sounds great!" She smiled. "What kind of job did you accept?, 6 months seems like an awful long time."

"I will be keeping a close eye on you from now on, and make sure that no one hurts you" He sighed softly as he secretely hoped that she would understand what he meant. "until your 18th birthday."

"B-but I don't need an escort or a bodyguard." Wonder slowly formed across her expression and she approached him as well. "I'm doing perfectly fine, I can defend myself."

Ulquiorra was somehow pleasantly surprised by those words… even though they were foolish. At least she tried to stand strong. "You can defend yourself?" He repeated, his voice dripping with doubt.

"Y-yes, I know how to kick and everything… And my punch is pretty strong."

Even though she desperately tried to convince him of her strength, he knew that her petite body couldn't deliver a proper blow to a grown up man. "You are fooling yourself, woman." His deep green eyes pierced themselves into her soft brown ones – leaving her vulnerable to the truth. "You would be left helpless if a man at 68.9 inches or more wanted to take you away."

He tried to lock their eyes in place, reveal her weakness completely, but the young girl lowered her eyes to the floor before he had the opportunity to do so. She pouted and mumbled in protest; "I would be able to fight back…"

A deep sigh escaped the otherwise indifferent killer's lips, as he with determined and heavy steps approached the young girl who immediately looked at him with surprise.

He placed his hand firmly at her shoulder, while applying enough pressure to force her down into the chair she had previously been sitting in. He hovered over her in many fateful moments; his green predator-like eyes analyzing her surprised face and his free hand resting at the chair's armrest. His fingers twitched impatiently by the soft touch of skin at her shoulder, but he ignored it. "Then tell me, where were your resistance right now?"

She didn't speak; she simply gazed at him with wondrous eyes. He had a hard time ignoring the way her dress had rode up her knee; revealing just a bit of her thigh and the soft curves she hid there. He was sure that any other man would have taken advantage of such a situation… but he was different.

"You're… kind of close." He noticed the slight blush that quickly adorned her cheeks. He simply shook his head – now was not the time for her to feel embarrassed.

"I need to prove my point to you." He slowly pulled away; respecting her modesty, though he felt it was unnecessary and ill-timed. "You are vulnerable."

"It's not very nice of you… to say such things." Orihime looked at him with a slight sense of defiance in her brown eyes; a thing that, oddly enough, intrigued the cold killer. "I may not be too muscular, or physically strong, but I'm not weak."

Perhaps she was right. Maybe she did hide some strength underneath her fragile looks, but he had no intention of taking any chances – rather point out her weaknesses than ignore them.

"So… if we try to ignore that… where are you gonna stay from now on?"

Ulquiorra was a bit annoyed by the fact that she suddenly changed the topic, but he chose to accept it - If she didn't want to talk about her vulnerability at the moment, he would just have to bring it up later. "Here."

A deep blush formed across Orihime's cheeks by the sudden revelation. "B-but. I-I only have one bed." Her brown eyes flew to the single bed she slept at. It was a big bed, but not enough for two! "A-and I can't share the same b-bed with you, I-I'm engaged you know!"

Ulquiorra sighed deeply by the way she immediately assumed such things of him. "At the main house in a separate room," He closed his deep green eyes in slight annoyance. "Not in your bed."

Relief washed over Orihime's whole body and she laughed apologetically. "Ooooh…" The blush stayed at her cheeks like the painful reminder of her own stupidity. "I-I'm sorry…."

"There's no need to apologize for such a minor thing."

"B-but it must have been annoying to you" she mumbled. "I assume you already have a woman in your life… with your age and everything."

Ulquiorra shook his head softly… he wanted to be patient with her if possible. "Women don't interest me."

"Why is that so? Did something happen?" Orihime blinked her eyes in disbelief.

"Women don't interest me." He repeated a bit more firmly to emphasize his point. "That has nothing to do with my past experiences."

Ulquiorra was 21 and had, of course, been involved with the female gender before… even though it had been short and bothersome. One thing was sure; he had no interest in women anymore… They just made everything complicated, and it honestly wasn't worth it in the long run.

He gazed calmly at Orihime for a couple of seconds; the previous thoughts running through his head. Perhaps that was why he felt so fascinated by her? Women had just been objects to him, but here he was, actually getting emotionally involved with a person of the female gender…

"Mister Cifer?" His thoughts were cut short by Orihime's soft voice. "Is everything alright?"

Ulquiorra held back a deep sigh. There was no reason for him to stay in the room anymore… she was getting too close again. However, just as he was about to leave, the door swung open.

Slowly, Ulquiorra turned towards the 'intruder'… He was not pleased by being interrupted all the time.

"Orihime."

Just by the way he spoke her name, made Ulquiorra's stomach turn in utter disgust. He didn't know who the nicely dressed man was; brown hair, blue eyes and fairly tall, but he knew that he was gonna be trouble… he could feel it.

Orihime stumbled when she tried to stand up; bowing her head deeply in the most degrading greeting Ulquiorra had ever seen before. It didn't suit her. "M-mister Acosta…" Her beautiful face was hidden by her long locks of auburn hair as she kept her head bowed. "I-I didn't know you would visit"

"No one knew." The man, about 30 or so, entered the room – leaving the door behind him open. "I just wanted to see you, is that so bad?"

Orihime shook her head violently as she finally lifted her head again – much to Ulquiorra's relief who was getting extremely annoyed by her submissiveness. "N-no no… I'm sorry…"

The still unknown man, his last name apparently being Acosta, turned his blue eyes towards Ulquiorra. He accepted the silent duel; locking gazes with his new target of interest… however, this time, it was not any good kind of interest.

"Who is this?" The man motioned towards Ulquiorra. "I don't like the fact that he's in here all alone with you. And the fact that the doors were closed…"

Orihime slowly turned her eyes to Ulquiorra; her deep brown eyes digging into his green ones for a couple of seconds before she spoke again; He could have sworn that she looked more vulnerable now, than when he had hovered over her in the chair. "This is mister Cifer" her eyes lowered to the floor. "He's gonna work as my new bodyguard starting today."

"Oh!" the unknown man suddenly smiled; a smile that radiated superiority before anything else. "Then it's a completely different case" The man lifted his hand towards Ulquiorra in an attempt to shake his hand. "My name is Emilio Acosta, but I would prefer if you addressed me as 'Mister Acosta'"

Ulquiorra tried to hide his annoyance as he lowered his eyes to the outstretched hand. He had no intention of greeting anyone with such a sense of arrogance, so instead he simply stood motionless and stared into a distant corner of the room – Neither of his hands leaving the depth of his pockets.

"I-I'm sorry." Orihime immediately apologized once she realized Ulquiorra's sudden defiance. "He's not very talkative" A nervous laugh rolled across her lips. "Do you want some tea? I'm sure you must be very thirsty after your long trip."


After Ulquiorra left, filled to the brim with annoyance, he went to the small room he had been assigned to for his 6 month stay as Orihime's bodyguard. The room was fairly small; decorated with a single bed, a cupboard, a small table and a window. Examining the room further, he also noticed that the room had its own bathroom with a shower, toilet and a sink… things he hadn't expected to have.

The first thing he did, and a thing he had longed to do most of the day, was to take his shirt off and place the 2 guns he had been carrying at the bed.

Even though he was practically unarmed in that moment, his senses were sharp – nothing would get inside and surprise him. Normally, he didn't let go of his guns even if his life depended on it… but for some reason, they were weighing more than usual... and they were especially heavy when she was around.

Did he feel a… slight sense of guilt by carrying blood coated weapons around her?

Placing himself at the floor, his back against the wall that faced the room next to his', he slowly sharpened his senses and listened to the faint voices coming from the other side.

A deep sigh left his pale lips.

He saw such incident everyday; young girls, getting married to older men, but it had never bothered him so much before… Perhaps it was not Emilio's age that bothered him, or the way he treated her, but the fact that Orihime seemed to accept it. The submissive behavior was simply too much... way! too much.

As a woman, a woman that had shown her own worth by defying Ulquiorra's harsh words concerning her vulnerability, she was supposed to stand up to trash like that and decide her own way of living.

Realizing just what kind of thoughts had infiltrated his otherwise rational mind, he quickly tried to regain focus. Perhaps he was just tired and needed some rest…

However, there should pass several hours before the cold killer got any rest. First when the voices died and the trash named Emilio left, he was embraced by darkness and the alluring state of sleep took him in… first when she was alone again, he found peace.


A/N: Okay, I managed to get one more chapter done before school started again ^^' *Celebrates* Updates are still gonna be waaaay slower than this,, so please bear with it ^^ And I also want to point out that Ulquiorra doesn't see Orihime as weak, but just tries to provoke her into getting stronger… because that's how I understand his character ^^ He wants her to stand up for herself x)