Chapter 28
La Cena Royal ("The Royal Dinner")
Staring down at Orihime, Ulquiorra felt a wave of concern envelope him. Though she was usually flustered and weak-looking, Ulquiorra had never seen Orihime faint from pure exhaustion. Already, she had been unconscious for thirty minutes, and there was no indication that she would come out of it soon. Ulquiorra frowned as he gazed down at her patiently. She was safe inside Urahara's training room. They were the only ones there—being that the older Soul Reaper had disappeared for something—leaving Ulquiorra to watch over her. He wondered if he should call over one of Orihime's friends to fetch her some water and a rag.
"Hey, you!" The sound of something squeaking filled the artificial room. The stuffed animal called Kon appeared from the rocky terrain, his beady eyes settling on Ulquiorra. Similar to the last sparring sessions, Kon jumped at Ulquiorra, screaming wildly, "What're you doing—"
The toy leapt headfirst into Ulquiorra's firm fist before crumbling to the ground. It was such an annoying creature. Ulquiorra didn't want to deal with it. How did anyone put up with it?
"We meet again, Ulquiorra's fist," Kon declared, climbing to his squeaky feet. He noisily walked over to Orihime's side, peering at her with interest. "Is she dead? She looks dead." Kon waved a dwarfed, plushy arm in front of Orihime's face. He seemed to understand that Orihime was only sleeping. "Is her soul off in a battle or something?"
"Possibly," Ulquiorra answered curtly.
Kon faced him, his furry eyebrows lowering in a sign of anger. "You don't know?" This time, Kon jumped onto Ulquiorra's shoulder, pelting his face with soft paws. "How could you let Orihime get this way? She's going to kill herself! I don't want her to die!" Ulquiorra grabbed the toy around the neck and roughly threw him a few feet away from them.
"You don't need to take out your anger on Kon," another voice stated. Ulquiorra glanced up only to find the raven-haired Soul Reaper standing nearby. She gave him a small smile before joining him next to Orihime. Something about the way she carried herself set Ulquiorra at ease. He allowed her to sit on the other side of Orihime.
"Nee-san!" Kon dove at Rukia's chest, but she blocked him using Ulquiorra's tactic—with her fist. The toy sank to the ground as the raven-haired Soul Reaper peered at Ulquiorra with a soft smile.
"Don't mind him," Rukia advised. "Kon is like the comedy relief in the story. He has no other purpose but to annoy us."
"I take offense to that, Nee-san!" Kon screamed at her, pointing an accusing paw at Rukia. His expression changed, going from anger to glee. His mouth curved up into a grin as he approached Rukia with outstretched arms. "I'll forgive you if you let me into the Valley of the Gods…"
Rukia batted him away, sending the toy flying into the distance. Ulquiorra couldn't decipher the distance he flew, but he was certain the stuffed animal wouldn't be able to disturb them for a little while. Returning his attention to Orihime's sleeping form, Ulquiorra simply waited, hoping that she would come out of her deep slumber.
"You must really love her." The statement made him look at Rukia with slightly-widened orbs. It wasn't so much that she was wrong—on the contrary, she was right—but the timing had caught Ulquiorra by surprise. So far, everyone had ignored him except to scream at how much he was going to hurt Orihime. No one wanted to say why. As if they were too scared to speak, the humans and the Soul Reapers alike settled on venting their worries out on him. Being accustomed to this treatment, Ulquiorra found solace in moments where someone wasn't yelling at him like now.
"I wish everyone could see this side of you," she went on, smiling gently. "Just the way you look at her gives you away." Gazing down at Orihime's face, Rukia's calm demeanor softened. "Being in your position, I bet it is difficult to watch the one you love doing all this for your sake. Even if you can't see them, if they're suffering for your sake, you can still feel their efforts." Lifting her gaze, Rukia peered deeply into Ulquiorra's green eyes. "I don't doubt that you understand this feeling. After all, you're more adept to understanding Inoue than anyone else."
"What of Kurosaki?"
The question sent Rukia into her thoughts. "Well, Ichigo can only understand what he chooses to understand," was her response after a moment. "He doesn't try too hard to understand the feelings of others. He simply treats everyone like himself, so he makes friends with different versions of himself. Inoue isn't so different from him; they both carry a heavy burden in their hearts because they lost someone they loved. It's not that Ichigo doesn't understand Inoue. He just knows her in a different way. As for you, you understand Inoue wholly. But what concerns me is if you love her wholly." Rukia points at his chest, indicating where his heart lied. "Besides understanding Inoue completely, do you love her completely?"
Ulquiorra stared at her, realizing the determined look in her violet orbs didn't allow any room for hesitation. Though he didn't feel obligated to answer her question, Ulquiorra felt it was only fair to tell her. She had already exposed herself by admitting she understood his feelings—that he could still feel Orihime's determination in her battles within herself. "Yes, I love her completely."
Rukia gave him another soft smile, her violet eyes dancing. "You're both very lucky," she whispered, returning her gaze to the sleeping girl. "If Orihime can use her powers to save you, you'll both be together."
They stared down at Orihime, silence engulfing them. Barely-audible squeaks were heard in the distance, but both people ignored it. As Ulquiorra watched Orihime's face, he noticed the color had changed again. Her ordinary skin color had returned and her breathing became shallow. Slowly, like watching a beautiful doll come to life, Orihime awoke from her slumber. Her eyes moved before they opened and focused on Ulquiorra.
Smiling, Ulquiorra noticed the fatigue written all over her face. She was exhausted, but something about her gentle smile set him at ease. She seemed relieved to see him as well. "Hello," she greeted softly, bringing a cool hand to Ulquiorra's cheek. Something about the way she spoke and looked at him settled the apprehension he felt only minutes ago. "Did you miss me?"
"Yes."
Her smile deepened, and Ulquiorra felt relief wash over him. He couldn't help the emotions that he found himself drowning in whenever he was around her. Why had he avoided them for so long? They didn't make him weaker; they made him feel alive, revived from a long slumber that existed only for him to remain dormant. But Orihime had awakened him, and now, he could do something about his own life. He could go by his own will, not his rigid logic.
"Wow," breathed Rukia, breaking them from their moment. The raven-haired Soul Reaper gazed at them with round, shining eyes. "Seeing you two together like this is really…strange. It's like watching a love story unfold," she added without hesitation.
Orihime immediately reddened as Ulquiorra knew she would. "I'm sorry, Kuchiki. I didn't know you were here," she apologized, sitting up slowly.
"Are you all right?" Rukia touched Orihime's forehead with the back of her hand, worriedly assessing her. Orihime nodded.
"I'm fine," she answered, giving her a reassuring smile. Ulquiorra watched Rukia relax, dropping her hand. Orihime's face brightened suddenly. "Oh, I'm glad you're here! I have a favor to ask of you."
A confused eyebrow lifted on Rukia's face. "A favor? What is it?"
"Well, not just you," Orihime replied, blushing. She turned her grey eyes onto Ulquiorra, who realized he was being asked for the same favor. The excitement that existed in her body deflated slightly, and calmness took over her being. "Can I train with you?"
"Train?"
Orihime merely bobbed her head before looking away. Worry flickered through her eyes as she looked at something far away. "I talked to the new power inside of me. She said that she could separate you from your spiritual energy."
"But there's something in exchange for doing such a thing, correct?" interjected Rukia.
Orihime nodded. "That's right."
Rukia lowered her gaze, her amethyst orbs taking on a sad expression. "In the worlds we cross, there's always an exchange for these things. It can't be helped." Although Ulquiorra held no emotion towards Rukia, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain underneath the surface of her words. In these moments, Ulquiorra thought she was an older soul than all of Orihime's friends. She seemed to understand the way the world worked, and along with that knowledge, something heavy always rested on her small shoulders. In her own way, Rukia Kuchiki mimicked Orihime. No wonder they were good friends.
"I can pull out Ulquiorra's spiritual energy, but to do that, I'll have to pull out the Hollow, too," Orihime stated solemnly, pulling her knees closer to her chest. "That's the only way to save him."
"Hollow?" Rukia's eyes flickered over Ulquiorra before returning to Orihime worriedly. "Ulquiorra is still part Hollow?"
"That's right," said a voice from behind them. Urahara approached them, his usual smirk on his lips. "If I am correct, the spiritual energy that Orihime's power copied happened to be Ulquiorra's, all right, but he was a Hollow. In bringing him back to life based from his original spiritual energy, Ulquiorra now exists with Hollow powers. But I'm certain that the Ulquiorra here now isn't fully Hollow. I suspect that Orihime's power tried to just draw out Ulquiorra's original soul."
"Original soul?" Orihime questioned, rising to her feet. Ulquiorra joined her side as they faced Urahara, who peered at them from under his strange hat.
"Every soul—whether it's a Hollow or a Soul Reaper—has its origins in the Living World," explained Urahara, touching the tip of his hat lightly. "When a person dies, they go to Soul Society, stay in the Living World as a spirit, or become a Hollow. It all depends on the soul."
Rukia stepped next to Orihime. "Like your brother, Inoue, every soul can turn into a Hollow if their hearts become twisted enough," Rukia added, causing Orihime's eyes to widen. Orihime looked away, but the expression on her face said that she was thinking of her dead older brother. "But even Hollows have the ability to reverse their own hearts."
Ulquiorra thought about his first day in the Living World. Already, he had experienced the realization of a human heart, but once in the Living World, many things felt foreign to him. Still, he could understand where Hollows and Soul Reapers came from. He sometimes felt there were fragments of his memories lying beneath the surface of his heart. He hardly comprehended the existence of them when he was in Hueco Mundo until he became Orihime's guardian. In rare moments when he slept or meditated, Ulquiorra could hear the whispers of his life before he was a Hollow. In those times, he pushed them aside, saying they weren't real because he couldn't see them.
But now, everything was different.
"Inoue," Urahara called out to the woman next to him. She looked up, slightly startled out of her deep thoughts. "If your power can draw out Ulquiorra's spiritual energy and it becomes a Hollow, you'll have to fight that Hollow. Are you ready for that?"
Ulquiorra faced Orihime, their eyes meeting in a silent gaze of apprehension. He could see the worry written in her grey orbs. She didn't want to fight him, but her gaze never wavered. It was something she had to do, and they both knew it. "Yes," she answered in a mere whisper, grasping Ulquiorra's hand.
"I do have a black-box warning for you," Urahara told her seriously. Even the smirk on his lips disappeared. "There's a chance Ulquiorra might cease to exist after the separation. If your power extracted more of Ulquiorra's Hollow side than his original soul, Ulquiorra is in danger of disappearing again. Even if you separate Ulquiorra's spiritual energy and defeat the Hollow that follows, it might all be for nothing."
Orihime shifted to squarely face Urahara, a determined gleam in her eyes. "I'd be happier trying than just letting Soul Society take him away," Orihime stated boldly, standing tall. Ulquiorra felt her hand grip his more tightly. "When my brother died, I couldn't do anything for him. When my friends were in trouble, I was helpless. I don't want that to happen again. I want to do something for the man I love, and if fighting is all I need to, I'll do it. It won't be for nothing."
A smile broke onto Urahara's lips as he shrugged his shoulders. "Such brave words from a little lady, so I must honor your decision," he responded in a sing-song tone. His eyes settled on Ulquiorra, fire burning in them. "Well, then, let's get to it. The battle is just around the corner."
Orihime exited the bathroom in her robe, rubbing a towel through her long, wet hair. The smell of pasta greeted her nose, causing Orihime's mouth to water immediately. She never smelled something so appetizing. Then again, she was too busy training to even cook anymore. Normally, she staved off her hunger by stopping by Family Mart and eating noodles or rice balls. Orihime followed the aroma of the pasta to the kitchen stove where Ulquiorra stirred a simmering pot of spaghetti sauce. Smiling, Orihime peered into the pot, allowing the steam to wash over her clean face. "Wow! We haven't had a home-cooked meal in a while!" she noted excitedly.
"We have been busy," was all Ulquiorra supplied, putting some chopped onions into the spaghetti sauce. Though the image was a strange one, Orihime rather enjoyed seeing Ulquiorra cook for them. Everything he did, he did it with ease; transferring the boiled pasta noodles to a cauldron and dumping more onions into the sauce looked like a graceful act from a movie. "You are staring again."
A blush settled on Orihime's cheeks, deepening the pink tint from the steam and shower. "I'm sorry!" she replied, burying her nose into her towel. "I'm just not used to seeing you like this. It almost feels like my husband is cooking for me." She gasped, realizing what she just said. Ulquiorra slowly turned to face her, a curious expression on his handsome face. Orihime's nerves got the best of her, and she tried to bury her face further into her towel. "Eh, did I say husband? I meant, uh, I meant…" She really needed to learn how to fib. It wasn't really her strong suit.
"What's a husband?" Ulquiorra inquired, stirring the spaghetti sauce again.
Orihime lowered the towel from her nose. "You don't know what a husband is?" It left her mind how little Ulquiorra knew of the Living World. Sometimes, it felt like they were speaking two different languages.
"Elaborate," Ulquiorra commanded, shaking some salt into the sauce.
Her skin prickled with embarrassment. Just like the toilet, the reproductive system, and the act of kissing, Orihime felt completely at a loss as to how to explain marriage. Should she draw a picture like Kuchiki or show him a video depicting marriage from Youtube? She wasn't sure. Instead, she opted for doing what she always did—tell him as clearly as possible. "Well, when two people are in love and they want to spend the rest of their lives together, they become a couple. But this is no ordinary couple. They're a married couple. A husband is the man in a couple. The woman in the couple is called a wife."
"Does that mean you are the wife?" Ulquiorra asked evenly, turning off the stove.
Her skin grew hotter than ever. "We're not a married couple," she managed to say without stammering.
"Are we not a couple who love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together?"
She was wrong. The heat in her body increased even more. Neither of them had declared that they were a couple, at least, not out loud. They only acknowledged the love for one another. Beyond that, Orihime was clueless; she hadn't thought that far. Did Ulquiorra really feel that way about them? "We do love each other, but we're not married," Orihime explained, trying to keep calm. "We haven't said we are a couple, either. First, we have to be a couple, boyfriend and girlfriend. Then, we have a dating period. If we like each other enough to spend the rest of our lives together, that's when we talk about getting married. It's a big ceremony where you vow to always be good to each other."
Ulquiorra stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about Orihime's words. She watched him retrieve two plates from the cupboard. "Are these rules always followed in the Living World?" he finally inquired, transferring the pasta noodles onto the plates.
"Not exactly," she answered, mulling over the topic of marriage. She never thought of it, but the institution of marriage was something she never questioned. There was already a path that led to it and everyone seemed to follow it. "It's just the way everyone expects it to be done."
Ulquiorra divided the spaghetti sauce between the two plates before setting the pot into the sink. "I do not care for what everyone expects, and this ceremony you speak of sounds troublesome," he stated tersely, finally facing her with calm, green eyes. "We already live together. Is there more that we need?"
Orihime's skin reached a heat beyond her understanding. Never had she thought about these things. Of course, she never expected to first live with a man before bringing up anything having to do with marriage. And the way Ulquiorra looked at certain situations was completely different than the way she approached things. However, he had a point. They didn't really need anything else. In their short time together, they had learned to live with each other and love one another. It seemed that many couples couldn't get past those steps, no matter how long they lived.
"No, you're right," Orihime agreed, finally relaxing. She looked away, a little embarrassed that she was still as air-headed as usual. "I just never thought too much about it."
She felt a hand on her head, and looking up, she found Ulquiorra peering down at her with a soft smile on his lips. It was a smile that washed away all of the troubles that remained in her body, and his hand on her head warmly smoothed her hair against her scalp. These moments were rare, a true treasure to Orihime, and she found herself smiling up at him, her good mood completely revived. "Shall we eat?"
She nodded before he placed her hot plate of spaghetti in her hand and they made their way to the table in the bedroom. Once seated, Orihime dove into the food, eagerly chewing the noodles. "It's so good!" she exclaimed, savoring every bite. About halfway through her meal, Orihime noticed something strange about Ulquiorra. He was silent through the meal, and though she had polished off half of her spaghetti, he had only eaten a few bites from his plate. "What's wrong?" Orihime asked, concerned.
The same small smile remained on his lips, his intense, emerald eyes on her. "Nothing," he answered smoothly. "I am merely watching you."
Orihime blushed underneath his smoldering stare. "Why?" she inquired in a small voice.
"Tomorrow may be the last day for us," he replied. "I do not want to forget your face if that happens."
She didn't know what to say. He was right again. There was the possibility that he could disappear completely, even after she drew out his spiritual energy. But she wasn't in the mood to think about it at the moment. She understood why he was being so kind; they both wanted to have one wonderful night together before they faced the demons of the future. She had no chance to say "goodbye" when her brother died in the Living World or when Ulquiorra disappeared in Hueco Mundo. This was their second chance.
It was a good second chance, she decided, gazing at him calmly. There was something different about him tonight, like something had dropped away from his shoulders, leaving only himself to come forward. Orihime wondered if she was doing the same thing, allowing the dark thoughts in her head to slide off her body. It wasn't so easy for her sometimes to let things go, but she felt tonight was an exception. Slowly, she relaxed, unwinding the negativity that gripped her heart and her mind.
Ulquiorra seemed to notice the difference. His eyes gleamed with an excited light that Orihime rarely recognized. Though they didn't speak for the rest of the meal, their eyes occasionally met, exchanging gazes of desire and admiration. Once dinner was finished, they collected the dishes and returned to the kitchen. Standing side by side, they began to wash the dishes, Orihime washing and Ulquiorra neatly placing them in the dish rack. It was Ulquiorra who broke the silence.
"When we were in Hueco Mundo, I dreamt of my life as a Hollow. Not an Espada or Arrancar. Simply a Hollow. I felt nothing except a void. I believed that things I could see were real, and everything else did not exist. Only by dissolving myself into the void, I could feel happiness. In the end, I pushed away everything that was in my heart. However, when I met someone interesting, I wanted to give them the same void. I wanted them to understand this void, to embrace it just as I was forced to. It was after I met you that the need to feel nothing began to waver. At first, I did not want to believe in it. If I did, I had something to lose.
Time went on, and the strings attached to my emptiness began to break. Kurosaki came to save you. Seeing his determined human soul, the strings slackened, and I began to break rules. I kept secrets. Even my attempt at feeling nothing, at knowing the limitations of the human heart, was born from my curiosity. I finally lost myself when I fought Kurosaki. I could not control myself, and he could not control himself. With the both of us lost in nothingness, I could finally see into the void. There was nothing but emptiness there, and everything that was there meant nothing. The physical pain became irrelevant. Survival became irrelevant. But you were there. When my time was over, I reached out to you. I could see your heart clearly. It beat with everything I tried to escape. It beat purely. Seeing your untainted heart came to be the moment I believed in something beyond sight. You reached out to me, and in that brief moment, I was relieved. I could finally rest."
Turning to Orihime, Ulquiorra peered into her eyes. "Just as I want to remember your face and the times we have spent together, I wish for you to remember me," he confessed solemnly. "I may disappear again, but it will not be the second time I disappear without telling you what you have done for me."
He finished speaking and dropped back into silence. Orihime stood still, uncertain of how to react. This was the longest Ulquiorra had ever spoken at one time, especially about himself. He wasn't the type of guy to talk about how he felt nor say much about the past. But Orihime felt grateful simply to hear his story. She understood him on a different level now. It seemed to close any distance that existed between them.
"I promise I will remember." She brought her lips to his cheek, giving him a small kiss to seal the promise. She felt his hand on her chin, and slowly, he lifted her chin, allowing Orihime to fully look him in the eyes. There was a light in his emerald orbs that made Orihime's breath hitch. Though she had seen him unguarded before, this time, the moment was more pronounced. Everything dropped away, and time seemed to stand still only for them. She leaned forward, a blush on her cheeks, as their lips met in a soft kiss. It was different from the other times they had kissed. The tension between them had increased, and the only way to ease it was to kiss.
Gradually, her body neared his until they were flush against each other. Ulquiorra's hand moved to her hips, pulling her closer against him. A part of Orihime's mind was already falling apart. The way he nipped lightly at her bottom lip made her weak in the knees. She felt the pressure between her legs grow, the heat in her body rising. She opened her mouth nervously—she was still new to kissing—and a deft tongue entered, exploring her mouth. It felt good and strange at the same time, his tongue roving lightly over her tongue. She found herself moaning from the pleasure it brought her.
They parted for air, gazing at each other with lustful eyes. The short kissing session seemed to have an effect on Ulquiorra. A soft breath passed through his lips as a blush settled on his porcelain cheeks. He leaned into her again, this time, moving to her ear. His tongue touched her earlobe, a surprised gasp escaping Orihime's mouth. He stroked the flesh with his tongue, pleasing sensations causing her to tremble against his body. Working his lips over the junction between her ear and neck, Orihime's rationale began to deteriorate. She was throwing everything to the wind now. She didn't care about what happened from that moment. It was just her and Ulquiorra expressing whatever they wanted to express.
She moaned as his kisses became impassioned, nearly burning into her neck with a pleasure she found exhilarating. Her heart was beside itself; it beat so fast, she thought it would explode. The pressure in her body intensified. She was undoubtedly turned on, and they both knew it. His hands wandered over her body before settling on the top of her robe. Slowly, he drew the cloth apart until her breasts were exposed. Taking a hardened nipple into his mouth, he began to suck, a loud moan leaving Orihime's mouth. She didn't know these sensations were so pleasurable, they broke down all of her logical thinking. He licked her nipple, leaving hot, wet trails from his tongue on her breasts. He proceeded to do the same thing with her neglected breast, making Orihime moan and tremble in his arms.
"Ulquiorra…" Her voice came out in a strained whisper. It was hard to speak, like her voice was only made to make sounds of pleasure. Slowly, he rose to his full height and looked at her expectantly. She took his hand and guided him towards the bedroom. She was ready for this moment. She needed it. She wanted it. There was nothing to stop her except herself, and she wasn't about to let her naivety get in the way. She loved Ulquiorra, and this moment was the natural next step for them. Orihime opened the door to the bedroom, and closing it behind Ulquiorra, they went to the bed together.
Next chapter: La Batalla del Principe y La Princesa
Orihime and Ulquiorra face their demons-and each other.
A/N: Hope you're enjoying this story! I've decided to end this story a little earlier than intended, so the next few chapters will be the last. I've been enjoying your reviews and comments thus far! Thank you very much!
Please review!