Ascent Into Madness

by a certain slant of light

Thirteen drabbles illustrating Orihime's ascent into the Arrancar ranks, into madness, and into her ambiguous relationship with Ulquiorra. Challenge for the LiveJournal community, 13drabbles. [UlquiHime]

2. Similarity

II. "Similarity"

"You and I," he told her logically, "are very different."

"That's not true," she said, pouting. "I think we're very alike."

"How so?" he asked, not expecting her to come up with anything remotely intelligent.

"Well, our skin may be different colors, and our eyes and hair, and maybe you're an Arrancar and I'm a human, but that doesn't mean we're different." When he looked at her searchingly, she huffed. "My grandmother once told me that even though people seem different, there's always one way to tell if they really are or not."

"I'm sure it's very scientific," he drawled.

Rolling her eyes, she extended a hand and wove her fingers through his. "She said that no matter who those two people are, if their hands can fit together, it means they have something in common." She smiled, lifting up their clasped hands, her palm fitting into his like a missing puzzle piece. "See? We're exactly the same."