I have no words to express how thankful I am to Ztothe9, she is a wonderful person who always cheers me up, even though we don't know each other. Thanks for beta'ing for me honey bunny!

CHAPTER 3

CALL ME ULQUIORRA

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He was leading the way as he always did, only this time it was just the two of them. She followed, obedient as usual, with her head lowered, her eyes staring at her own shoes. On previous occasions when he had taken her from her room, other Arrancar would follow them, eager for a glance at the imprisoned human. But this time was different; there was no one else there with them.

He walked silently as they traveled down the corridor then turned onto another. Orihime trailed behind him without complaint, her eyes now fixed on the way the white tails of his jacket moved, looking as if they were the lower part of a pair of white wings on his back. The soft sway of the fabric seemed to mesmerize her for a while.

He was so graceful and refined in the way he moved, causing her to speculate about the differences between him and the vulgar Grimmjow or the slow Yammy. Ulquiorra was so unlike those two; he never cursed and it was obvious to Orihime just how intelligent he was.

They are all so different, each one of them. Despite their hollow origin, they have their own will and personality, just as humans do.

She tore her eyes from him and noticed they were walking down halls she had never seen before in her time at the enormous castle of Las Noches, the home of the Espada and their Fracciones. She fell behind, distracted, before racing to catch up; but Ulquiorra never slowed or stopped to see if she was still following or not.

The white halls were completely empty. There was nothing there, just the endless white. The only sound to be heard was the echo of their footsteps as they walked on, down hallway after hallway.

Suddenly a stairway appeared and Ulquiorra led them down it, again never slowing or pausing. The light dimmed and the air grew colder. Soon she found herself trembling beneath her thin school sweater. Inoue couldn't help but chide herself for going to Hueco Mundo with nothing but her school uniform.

A few torches burned faintly along the walls, but it wasn't the same as when the moon illuminated the halls. She hugged herself tightly trying to gain some warmth, but her body continued to shiver.

Can't he feel how cold it is in this hallway? Where are we? Where is he taking me?

"Where are we going?" She finally asked, her fear starting to grow. They are moving me to some dungeon, a dark and damp jail with no windows, just bars and mold… She thought. It was the first words spoken since they had left the room, when he had simply ordered her to follow. "It's so very cold here."

"I'm taking you to the bathing chamber." Ulquiorra answered without stopping or giving her any more explanation than that.

Do I smell? Oh… this is so embarrassing! I haven't had a bath in days… I hadn't even thought about it…

"Bath?"

"Yes. Everything is settled for you to bathe, as you normally would."

"I thought there was no water in Hueco Mundo."

She was completely ignorant in the matter of what there was and wasn't to be found in Hueco Mundo. She had yet to see any natural water in the few places she had been. The only thing that met the eye was sand…sand… and more sand. Occasionally she spotted small hollow animals that would wiggle out from underneath the sand, but besides those and the odd bone-like trees…there was nothing to be found.

"There isn't." He answered shortly as he turned left and opened a door that lead to yet another long and dreary hallway.

"Then…how…?" She asked in surprise, a sudden image of a little Ulquiorra figure carrying buckets of water through the desert popping into her mind. Then, the image turned into a little Ulquiorra digging in the sand looking for water. She caught herself before she broke out into laughter which surely would not have gone over well with Ulquiorra.

"We have our ways." He answered interrupting her thoughts. "Opening a Garganta and bringing water from the World of the Living is one of them."

"Uhm…" The figure of the little Ulquiorra in her mind was now carrying thousands of bottles of water on his back as he struggled under the weight. "That sounds like an awful lot of work and trouble just for me to take a b…"

"Don't flatter yourself, onna." He interrupted, stopping and glaring at her coldly over his shoulder. He looked offended, like she had said something wrong. "I am not taking you to bathe because I care about your hygiene. Lord Aizen commanded me to do so."

"I… I didn't mean you…" She always grew nervous, so nervous when those big green eyes were staring her down. "…I didn't mean you care enough for me to go through all that trouble, Ulquiorra-ku…" Oh No… she thought immediately. "kun…"

"I thought we had already discussed the proper way for you to address me."

He turned around completely, walking back in her direction. Orihime froze not even daring to breathe. She was terrified of him when he looked at her that way. She knew that in a mere second, his hand could be wrapped around her neck. But instead he just stopped in front of her as the silence loomed between them. He didn't blink as he stared straight into her eyes. She didn't either as her heart started to pound.

Silence.

Not a single word was uttered as they both stood there, so close and yet so far away, their eyes the only tether between them.

There was such stillness between them that Inoue could hear the frantic beating of her own heart and the hiss of the flames as they consumed the torches.

"Call me Ulquiorra." He finally spoke, his voice quiet in the echoing hallway. "Call me only that."

"I'm…sorry." She looked away. She couldn't stand the way he was looking at her.

"I am not a human." – He continued, seeming thoroughly annoyed with her. It always seemed to hit a nerve when she confused things between them. It was even perceptible in his voice, in the slight deviation from his usual monotone, that comparing him to a human being was an insult. "I am not here to befriend you. I do not seek to make you feel cared for. I cannot understand nor want to understand most of the things you do and say."

"I…"

"You annoy me. You are just an instrument to be used when the moment arrives. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Please…stop…" she whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut trying to block out his piercing gaze. But Ulquiorra wasn't even close to finished with her.

"And when that moment arrives and you become useless to us…" He took one step closer. "Trust me onna, I do not care if you live or die."

Useless. I've always been useless. Here. With my friends. I have never been able to stand up for myself and fight. I have always depended on others to do the fighting for me. Kurosaki-kun has been injured so many times trying to protect me… and still… even here, away from him, away from everyone… I can't be anything more than useless! I thought I could get stronger in Soul Society with Kuchiki-san's help, and still… I was completely helpless when he came for me. The best I could do for the ones I love was disappearing. I wish I had your strength… Kuchiki-san…

"That's fine. If Lord Aizen wants to get rid of me once he understands my powers, I will be accept it. I know I am not strong enough to be useful to him in any other way." She said, breathing deeply, trying to prevent her tears from falling from her closed eyes. Then, to Ulquiorra's surprise… she smiled. "I will stop calling you that." Her cheeks flushed and her hands clenched together as she fought for the courage to say what came next. Her eyes opened and they were filled with fire. I refuse to be useless anymore. I'll fight, just as Kuchiki-san told me to. "As long as you start calling me by my name."

Ulquiorra's eyebrows shot up a fraction, the only indication that he was shocked by her response. He never would have expected her to defy him. She said it so softly but the force behind her words was unmistakable.

"It's Orihime, Orihime Inoue. Not Onna. Not woman." She laughed, nervous. "My friends call me Orihime-san, Inoue-san or plain Inoue. I'm not saying we are friends… but, I'd appreciate you'd call me by my name. It's Orihime."

Ulquiorra didn't answer. He stood there quiet, with his empty glare. Whenever he stared at her so intently, she felt naked, like he could see right through her and there was no place to hide. She had stood up for herself, and now, it was probable that she would have to endure another lecture about how she had no rights nor could ask or expect anything from him. But he didn't say a word.

"Pff…" He suddenly turned around, jammed his hands inside his pockets and continued walking.

The rest of the trip to the bathroom was in complete silence. Inoue's heart was beating faster and faster with every step they made in the dreary silent hall. Until he stopped, right outside a wooden door. White of course.

"Go in."

She did as he instructed and entered a white room with a single bathtub and a small chair next to it. On the chair were the typical bath materials any person would use. She could see steam rising from the water inside the tub.

"There's hot water, soap and shampoo for your use." He said, without looking at her. She knew he was still aggravated. "You will also find towels for you to dry yourself when you are done. There's a comb for your hair and other female products, if you need them." Then, their eyes met again as he glanced toward her. "Do you require anything else?"

"No, no! That's more than enough." She answered smiling. She was feeling a little uncomfortable with the situation as she realized he might expect her to undress and get in the water with him standing right there. "… that's more than enough."

"Fine." He said turning and walking to the door. "I'll call for Loly and Menoly to assist you." Inoue's eyes grew large with fear and without thinking what she was about to ask, she found herself begging

"Please don't."

Ulquiorra stood still, not turning around. Some seconds passed in complete silence while the hazy steam drifted around his figure.

"I can not afford to have you drown."

"I not going to drown in a bathtub!" Was he really insinuating what she thought he was? Did they think she was so weak and vulnerable that she would kill herself there? "I…"

"I cannot run the risk of you attempting to harm yourself. You are my responsibility as long as Aizen-sama commands it." He turned back towards her and she was once again caught in his stare.

"Please." The mere idea of those two seeing her naked, hitting her, teasing her while she cleaned herself, made her tremble and her voice rose as she began to panic. "Please. I give you my word."

"Your word?" He asked and thought about it for a second. "Can I see your words? Can I touch them? Can words bring you back to life if you die?"

"No." She looked down; she really didn't have anything to propose in exchange for that favor. "But words are the only thing I have to offer right now."

Silence descended again as his eyes watched her. They were so deep and vivid; she could even see herself reflected in them. His eyes became hooded as he stared, while she mentally begged him to allow her to bathe alone.

"Do as you please then." He said finally before moving to the doorway. "I'll be waiting outside for you to finish. I will leave the door open, but no one will come in."

"Thank you, Ulquiorra." Orihime smiled, her cheeks blushing in happiness. It felt like her first victory in Hueco Mundo. For once, she was trusted to do something on her own. "I won't take long."

"Take the time you need. Never rush into anything." His words startled her as did the soft tone he used. Just as he was leaving, he paused, as if debating whether he was sure about leaving her alone. "Orihime Inoue." It was just his eyes moving towards her, the rest of his body was still.

"Yes?" She asked with shyness.

"I'll personally kill every single one of your friends if you do choose to harm yourself in any way. Remember that while you bathe."

She sighed as Ulquiorra left her alone. She peered over the edge of the tub and gazed at her reflection in the hot water. Then she quickly shed her clothes, dropping them in a pile on the floor before climbing into the soothing heat.