Ulquiorra watched as the arrancar chefs prepared Orihime's breakfast. He had his eyes closed, absorbed in his own mind, 'what is my duty? To protect the woman. Have I failed that task? Indeed. Why did I bring her to my room? To help her mental state, right? That can't be right. If all I was doing was helping her mental health then what was my reason for returning her embrace…I'm confused, pathetic.'
Ulquiorra opened his eye when he felt an annoying poke to his chest.
"What do you want?", he said glaring at the offending Espada.
"Where is she?", the annoying Espada asked with unhidden anger.
Instead of answering the question he simply looked away. He felt the color of his uniform bunch as the other Espada lifted him off the ground. He looked down at the infuriating individual.
"Put me down now, trash", Ulquiorra fond his back hitting the ground, followed by a sick crack when his head hit.
"Ulquiorra you better tell me where she…Orihime is!", her unoccupied hand closed around his throat.
All the kitchen staff could only stare at the two Espada. They watched as Ulquiorra grabbed the other Espada's wrist and twisted it enough to be able to speak.
"What is this Halibel", Ulquiorra managed to bark out.
"I know what happened with Nnoitra, now where is Orihime.", Halibel said as she threw Ulquiorra to the opposite side of the room.
"She is in my room, Recovering.", Ulquiorra said brushing off his uniform.
He finished brushing off the dirt when he found himself on the ground again. Halibel had punched him. He was getting angry, 'where does she get the nerve to hit me', he was getting up for the second time when Halibel's anger boiled over.
She pushed him against the wall and started punching him, yelling at him between hits.
"You were supposed to protect her", she punches his head making an indent in the wall.
"Because of your incompetence, Nnoitra was able to….to...to", she didn't finish, but she did knee him in the gut, cracking the wall behind him.
Ulquiorra knew he could stop her if he really wanted, but he didn't wantto. Remembering the broken look on Orihime's face, he allowed Halibel to continue to hit him throwing insults all the while.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Orihime smoothed out the wrinkles in her freshly cleaned uniform. She heard the footsteps in the room walking toward her. However when she turned around she tensed. She had no idea who the arrancar that stood before her was.
"Who are You?", Orihime couldn't stop her voice from trembling.
Noticing the arrancar walked over to Orihime and said with such sincerity that Orihime believed him, and allowed him to sit next to her.
"My name is Sora."
Orihime's eyes widened when she heard his name. He seemed to noticed.
"Why does my name spark such a reaction with you?", Sora said honestly wanting to understand her more.
"Well you see, I had a brother named Sora"
Sora didn't miss the, had part, "What happened?"
"He died a few years ago. And I prayed to him every day, but when I stopped his soul got sad and turned into a hollow….."
"Ah, I see. I'm sorry for your loss.", he said comforting her, trying to stop the oncoming tears.
"Don't worry about it. Ichi-a shinigami purified him a while back.", this time she stop the tears.
"Let it out", Sora said patting her back, "it seems number 3 and 4 are on their way here."
"What?", she managed to sputter.
"I have enjoyed your company and I wish I could stay, but Ulquiorra is very possessive.", he took a deep breath and pulled, from his chest, a small heart shaped pendant. He gave it to the wide eye young red-head sitting next to her.
"You seem lonely, and since Ulquiorra isn't one for conversation I gave you that. If you ever wish to speak to someone simply speak into the pendant and I'll come.", he waved good-bye and jumped out the large window in Ulquiorra's room. She stared after him until she heard hurried footsteps. When she turned around the door was flung open revealing a winded Halibel and a bruised Ulquiorra.
"Hello Miss Halibel. Ulquiorra-kun what happened!"
Orihime couldn't stop the giggles as she saw Ulquiorra's reaction to –kun.
Ulquiorra…