The Frozen Whisper Chapter 12: Subtle Intimacy, a bleach fanfic

Updated: 11th April 2020 (bigger cosmetic changes, added a day or two, shortened and moved Rukia's thoughts a bit, and added more drama and more interactions between our heroes ❤)

Hullo! (^O^)/

Without any unnecessary babbling, I just want to say that I love you all!

SweetestChick, xXSetsuna-HimeXx, Fire331, yume girl 91 (also thank you for the PM!), LavenderSkies, Tsunayoshi, rukia-neesan, Byakuya Sama, Sweet Scrifice, kluxces, SoraXNamine, phoenix-aerith, FireyFlames, wickedsistah1024, Imbeleth, tatsujun41, CookieMonster666, JeanMac01, scarlet white cross, kitti0cat, xxAniGirlxx, Paper Bullet, darkmistress in the shadows, BluLollEE, yuri1713, Coke N Bleach, sadbird, Red Princess, Lorraine C., Anjiska, Liv, y, L Lexuran, Kita of Nature, Yaruki, swordbunny4486, ASUKA, Mae-Ann, CDL, Prince cl0ud9, 1blackcat, Hekka, Rowan05, NiceCupOfTea, wynn12, jewels509, 0-TenteN-0 and edwards-vampire-loverSS for PM!

Thank you! I can't possibly find words to express my gratitude!

And now onto the chapter!

Do enjoy!

朝霧 -Asagiri-

The Frozen Whisper
by Asagiri

Chapter 12
Subtle Intimacy

Though tired, Rukia had a difficult time falling asleep. She tossed and turned in bed, while trying to shake off that warm and cosy feeling that out of the blue began to sprout whenever her thoughts strayed towards Ulquiorra. She was adamantly trying to turn her mind blank and drift off, but soon thoughts of him recurred, and her heartbeat increased. And again, she turned over to her other side and firmly closed her eyes… And again, she saw his green eyes staring directly into hers.

Desperate, she was beginning to consider knocking herself out… Fortunately such drastic measures weren't necessary, as eventually she fell asleep.

Alarm clock woke her up at the usual time. Turning it off, Rukia lay in the bed for a moment, enjoying the pleasant feeling her dreams left her with… That was, until she realised she had been dreaming of Ulquiorra. With a groan she got up and ran to the bathroom to wash her face with cold water.

In the mirror she saw herself, looking back at her with confused expression. She didn't know what in the world was going on. What was wrong with her? Why all of a sudden she couldn't get him out of her head?

Back in the room Rukia dressed and with a deep sigh she almost plopped into one of the armchairs – his armchair – but she stopped herself at the last second, almost tripping over her own feet. Feeling too awkward to be even close to that particular piece of furniture, not to mention sitting in it, she went to the desk and grabbed her drawings. She hoped that faces of her friends and family would put her thoughts back on track. She missed them dearly.

A bright idea entered her mind and taking an adhesive tape, she stuck the drawings to the wall above her bed, next to Chappy she had put there previously. Perhaps they would be her guarding charm against unwanted thoughts.

Just then Rukia heard a knock on the door, and knowing who it was, it gave her butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't sure if she would be able to look Ulquiorra straight in the face today.

・

After recent tensions between them, Ulquiorra enjoyed a peaceful morning. Apart from courtesy exchange at the beginning, they didn't talk, but the silence was comfortable. So he indulged himself and relaxed, surrounded by Rukia's cool reiatsu. After all, this tranquillity could end any day now, or even any minute, given their tumultuous relation so far. He should savour it while it lasted.

Dinner was similar, though when he arrived, her face was flushed red and perspired, and her breaths quickened. She had been doing some physical exercises. She disappeared in the bathroom for a moment to refresh herself, and then the rest went as usual.

It repeated again in the evening, when he came with her supper. That was also when he finally noticed it. Rukia exchanged greetings and other pleasantries with him, she was turned to him then, gave him her attention, and even had a soft, polite smile on her face… but something was amiss. She didn't meet his gaze like she normally did.

For a whole day he hadn't seen her eyes and their violet glow.

Somehow this little fact made the tranquil and pleasant day ultimately somewhat lacking.

They should have resolved their disagreements yesterday and be back to being civil, shouldn't they? Then why, in a way, was she avoiding him? Why wasn't she looking at him properly?

Ulquiorra observed her as she, having finished her supper, put the plates back on the trolley.

"Thank you, I'm done," Rukia said casually, but still her gaze was somewhere far away from him.

Frowning, he got up, and was about to walk up to her, but a knock on the door stopped him in his tracks. A male servant entered, bowing deeply.

"Ulquiorra-sama," he greeted him. "Ichimaru-sama requests your presence in the Control Room, as soon as you finish your date with Rukia-sama."

"I'll be right there," he said, flatly ignoring the choice of words – Ichimaru's jest should be met with nothing more. Also, he was more focused on Rukia's reaction. First, she stared at the servant in bewilderment. Then she almost looked at him with her eyebrows raised quizzically, but stopped herself, while a blush coloured her cheeks. Soon enough, though, her face changed into a neutral expression.

She cleared her throat uncomfortably, and said, "See you tomorrow, then."

Ulquiorra nodded and left.

By the next morning Rukia's erratic heartbeats subsided. Her thoughts, too, finally found other, far more acceptable topics. Still, from time to time the memory of Ulquiorra's warmth, or worse – his patience with her that was almost like a kindness – would surface, throwing her off completely.

Drawing could do only so much before her mind wandered off, so she turned to exercises. Maintaining rhythm and focusing on controlling her movements and reiatsu kept her mind from dangerous thoughts. It also reminded her that the full-on war was at hand and that she needed to get stronger. Even though she was captive, it didn't mean she could idle her days away. On the contrary – it should motivate her to train twice as hard.

Rukia might have defeated the 9th Espada, but it had been but a sheer luck. Nothing about the outcome had been victorious. Had he had different abilities or had he been any other person with that power level, the fight would have ended in her pitiful demise. Not to mention, she had almost died herself and was only still alive because her enemy found her useful. If that wasn't shameful, she didn't know what was.

Looking back, most of the time she ended up being rescued by someone, never achieving anything by herself. She didn't want to be a burden anymore. She wanted to be able to stand on her own, to stop being useless. To help instead of being helped.

Rukia was throwing an orb made of reiatsu from one hand to another, trying to keep it from bursting, when there was a knock on the door, and Ulquiorra entered with her breakfast. Or that was what he usually did, but today he stayed at the threshold.

"Come with me," he said.

She frowned and dispelled the orb. "Why?" she asked, but got up from the floor and approached him.

"I don't have much time to spare this morning, so you'll have breakfast with me."

Rukia raised her eyebrows at this. Inwardly she was relieved it was something as simple as a breakfast, and not a meeting with Aizen or Ichimaru, or some big official meal with all Espadas. But… to eat with Ulquiorra? That was new. She wondered what could have happened to actually make him allow her to take a glimpse of his privacy. (Though she had taken quite a good look at his privacy two evenings before… And she should stop thinking about it right now, unless she wanted to parade her red face!)

"You'll get your walk, too," Ulquiorra added.

Two birds with one stone, eh? It didn't sound bad, so she nodded and followed him out. His pace was hurried, but she didn't have a problem keeping up with him. Before she could think better of it, she asked, "What are you so busy with?" Was it something Ichimaru had called him for yesterday?

He paused. "Nothing you should concern yourself with."

His reply stung a bit. Not that Rukia expected him to tell her anything important. She didn't ask that question, because she wanted to know about their war preparations and plans (though she wouldn't mind learning them), she just… asked it, without any ulterior motive. She really didn't care about his answer, he could have lied and she would have been fine with it. But now she was out of humour.

・

Ulquiorra saw a flick of disappointment cross Rukia's face. She mumbled something incoherently under her breath, and shrugged her shoulders. Did she really think he would tell her anything? She wasn't that naïve, was she?

She didn't bother him any more during their walk, opting to sulk.

Before long, they reached the dining hall. Ulquiorra sat in his usual seat, and she followed suit, sitting opposite him. Her ill-humour was instantly gone, and with curiosity she looked around the place, taking in the light blue walls with a touch of yellow, and a dozen or so white tables with chairs. If she was this fascinated by another room, then perhaps her complaint about being confined to one room hadn't been only a pretence to hide her search for her zanpakutō. Maybe taking her for a walk from time to time would make her more agreeable, too.

Not to mention, it was Ichimaru's request. "Take'er fer a walk or somethin', will ya? Fer yer both's sanity's sake," he had said, and perhaps it wasn't the worst idea. It had also been the only sensible thing he had said yesterday.

Shortly a female servant came and after ordering his breakfast, he gestured Rukia to do the same.

She ordered the usual, but at the end she asked, "And, uhm, do you have konpeitō by any chance?"

Ulquiorra inwardly frowned, unsure if he had heard the word before, though food was never high on his list of interests.

"The sweets, Rukia-sama?" the woman inquired to make sure and in return received an eager nod accompanied with a hope-shining look. So she searched her memory, and eventually smiled, "I think we do, actually. I will bring it."

"Lovely." Rukia seemed quite excited at the possibility of getting that konpeitō. With a soft hum she rested her chin on her hands. Her eyes were bright, but shifted down and left. She was recalling something, and, judging from her expression, it was something pleasant to her. After a while she looked at him as if she hadn't been avoiding his gaze for the whole day yesterday.

"What is it?" she asked, and Ulquiorra realised he was staring at her. Luckily he was spared the trouble of giving an answer as the servant was back with their meals.

・

To Rukia's delight next to her breakfast was a small cotton bag tied with a pretty, green ribbon. It could only be her konpeitō.

Happy, she started to eat, however she only managed to have just a bit of rice before she got distracted by Ulquiorra. The way he held his fork and knife, and moved them from his plate to his mouth… Even though his grace couldn't rival with that of Byakuya Kuchiki (that was poetry, ladies and gentlemen), still his movements were elegant enough to catch her attention. It was odd and at the same time fascinating to see him do something this mundane.

Rukia met his quizzical gaze. She shrugged with pretended nonchalance and resumed eating, while doing her best to stop the blush creeping to her cheeks. She failed, though, as a treacherous thought surfaced in her mind, saying, that despite this being a breakfast, it was more like a date than yesterday's supper… She felt her face violently heat up and had to fight the urge to drown herself in her tea. Besides, she should drown Ichimaru in it for using such a ridiculous word in the first place!

They were half-way through their breakfast, when without a warning the door to the dining hall flew open.

The suddenness startled her, but not enough to make her almost choke on her food. What did make her almost choke on her food, though, was the sight of the person who unceremoniously waltzed in – Nnoitra.

"Oy, kitchen, gimme whatever fuckin' food my pet is havin'! I'm fuckin' famished!" he yelled and made his way towards them. His gaze was fixed on her and his teeth bared in a predatory grin.

Rukia quickly washed down her last bite with tea. Just when Nnoitra was a step away from her, she jumped up from her seat and instinctively stood behind Ulquiorra.

・

Ulquiorra calmly kept eating, even when Nnoitra plopped into Rukia's chair, and helped himself to remains of her breakfast. Surely her appetite was lost the moment she saw the degenerate, so he didn't bother stopping him. For now he closely observed, assessing the situation at hand.

"Ain't you a bit too fuckin' chummy with her?" Nnoitra asked with his mouth full, pointing his finger accusingly at him.

Unperturbed, Ulquiorra finished his meal and wiped his hands and mouth with a napkin. He leaned back in his chair. Rukia was close behind him; he could feel the heat of her body, and smell her fear. Eventually he replied to the hanging question with his own, "What do you want, Nnoitra?"

"Nothin' much. Just checkin' if you're takin' a good care of my pet." He downed the rest of her green tea, and licked the cup's rim. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked between them. "Not too good a care, though, are you?"

"She's not your pet," Ulquiorra countered. He could add that Rukia was no-one's pet, but Nnoitra wouldn't understand it, or worse – he would understand it as if she was free to take. He would rather not think what that degenerate would do to her then. Just remembering the scratches on her forearm and pain in her eyes made him angry. "And you were supposed to keep away from her."

"I couldn't fuckin' help myself, she was just there, askin' for it." Nnoitra suggestively licked his lips. "Soon she'll be my bitch, anyway, so what's the harm?"

Using the opportunity that the female servant brought Nnoitra his food, Ulquiorra turned to look at Rukia. She was pale and looked like she was about to get sick, while at the same time she was vehemently glaring at their unwanted company.

"Wait for me outside," he told her calmly, trying to reassure her that everything was under control. It would be better if she didn't hear anything coming from Nnoitra's mouth, or she might get scarred for life. Besides he would rather have this conversation one on one without her being around. He was about to say things he'd rather she didn't hear. It could get ugly.

Rukia looked down at him, but the frostiness in her glare didn't thaw one bit. Then, without a word, she whirled on her heel and strode towards the door.

Nnoitra sniggered. "What? Afraid she'll hear the good news?"

"No," he quickly retorted. "I don't need her becoming sick from hearing you spewing out nonsense."

"Don't tell me you started to fuckin' care about her!"

Care? Ulquiorra stared at him quite incredulously. But then he felt Rukia's gaze on the back of his head and had to fight the urge to turn around and look at her. Her footsteps stopped, she was by the door, yet she stayed to hear his answer. Why was she interested in it? But more importantly, did he care for her? And what exactly did 'care' mean?

He heard a click of the door opening, and all he could say was, "She's under my custody." It was the truth, but wasn't too accurate. Their relation had become deeper and more complex since the day she had been put under his custody.

"Not for long. We had a deal, Ulquiorra, remember?" Nniotra snarled. "Not that it fuckin' matters any more. I have your precious Aizen-sama's blessin', so you can go fuck yourself."

The door slammed shut. Ulquiorra felt that he would have to explain some things to her later, but now that she was gone, he could lower himself to Nnoitra's level.

Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "What do you mean?"

・

Nnoitra grinned nastily at his question. Curious of his reaction, he was quick to explain, "Aizen-sama wants to know if a Shinigami-Hollow hybrid can be created, let's say, naturally, if you know what I'm sayin'. And I'm more than fuckin' happy to help. "

It was entertaining to see the realisation dawn on Ulquiorra. It lasted a split second, and not much changed in his face, but what changed was enough to call it a reaction. He seemed displeased that he was learning about it only now. And if Nnoitra didn't know better, he would think he caught a shadow of horror and wrath in his emotionless eyes, but there was no way this cold-hearted prick would care for a mere Shinigami bitch. He wasn't interested in a trash like her.

"That would require a minimum of nine months," Ulquiorra stated matter-of-factly. "You'd just get bored with her and kill her before that."

"Eventually, fuck yeah," Nnoitra admitted. He was looking forward to that moment. The longer he waited for it, the sweeter his reward would be. "But I can be patient, you know. Everythin' for fuckin' science and Aizen-sama."

Out of the blue, Ulquiorra casually took the small cotton bag from the table. Neither his voice nor face betrayed anything, when he said, "Well, forget it, she's mine."

He stared at the aloof bastard in front of him, unable to believe what he was hearing. "She's fuckin' not! You didn't want her, so fuck off!"

"I changed my mind."

Nnoitra's anger flared up and he flipped the table over, sending all plates and unfinished food flying. The source of his outburst managed to easily jump away, and was now standing a dozen feet away. He cursed at him, "You piece of shit! You lyin' son of a bitch! You said I could have her, once she becomes useless to you."

"That's not happening," Ulquiorra replied nonchalantly. "I made her my woman, and I have priority over you. She's mine, so lay off."

His calm audacity was driving Nnoitra mad. "Motherfuckin' bastard! I'll make you pay for this. Both of you!"

He grabbed Santa Teresa and swung it at the 4th Espada, who caught the blade with his bare hands. Then an idea entered his mind, and he snarled, "Shouldn't you be keepin' an eye on your little bitch? Who knows what might happen to her when she's left all alone!"

His words were enough to distract his opponent, who searched for Shinigami's reiatsu, but couldn't find it outside the door.

"If you touch her again—"

So Nnoitra quickly changed his stance and pushed his weapon down. It slid down Ulquiorra's left forearm, slicing it open. Not waiting for his wound to heal, the 4th Espada flashed in front of him and hit him with an open palm right in his stomach. Despite his Hierro, the attack hurt him and sent him flying. His back hit the wall and he swayed a bit on his feet. Yet all he wanted do at the moment was burst into a maniacal laughter.

It was oddly satisfying. His own pain and the look of worry on Ulquiorra's face when he made his threat, helped him find a silver lining in this situation. He would have it his own way. He didn't need Aizen-sama's or anyone else's permission to take a woman. He would do with her whatever he pleased for however long he pleased. And he would cut that deceitful motherfucker in front of him into little pieces and make him watch as he played with his bitch.

"Sooner or later she'll walk right into my arms, just you fuckin' wait," Nnoitra promised. A nasty grin surfaced on his face. He knew very well when that would be. "And I'll greet her the way a Shinigami whore deserves."

・

Ulquiorra had to stop himself from another attack, otherwise they would end up destroying half of Las Noches, and that wouldn't please Aizen-sama. Also, killing a battle asset such as Nnoitra wouldn't be appreciated either. So, with a last scornful look at his associate, he left the dining hall in a hurry. He had to catch up with Rukia.

Why did she ignore his words and went back on her own? Just because he kept Nnoitra occupied, it didn't mean she wouldn't run into other troubles on her way. Foolish, stubborn woman.

He looked down at the bag of konpeitō in his hand that he had saved from Nnoitra's outburst. She had seemed happy at the perspective of getting them, so maybe they would improve her frosty mood. He then noticed a small card tied to the ribbon. "For Rukia-chan," it read.

Ulquiorra frowned. There was only one person in whole Hueco Mundo who called her that. Why had he got sweets specifically for her? Had he foreseen that at one point she would ask for them? As much as he found it both curious and suspicious, he knew there was no point in dwelling upon this. He tore off the card, so it wouldn't upset her. This way she could fully enjoy her konpeitō without worrying about the Fox.

He again searched for her reiatsu and found her not too far away from her room. Using Sonido, he went after her.

・

Rukia stormed through Las Noches' corridors towards her room, despite Ulquiorra telling her to wait for him. That was the last thing she wanted – wait, while he and Nnoitra disputed her person as if she was an object or a livestock. What was all that about her soon belonging to that deviant? Why did he even lay claim to her, and with such confidence, too?! Over her dead body!

It filled her with anger, but that anger was mixed with fear… and hurt, for some reason. Breathing deeply in and out a few times, she quickened her pace even more. She just wanted to be alone. Or to just start running and stop only once she reached home.

Ulquiorra seemed busy… perhaps he wouldn't be there to stop her from grabbing Sode no Shirayuki and fleeing? If she set out now, then she might not run into—

"I told you to wait outside," Ulquiorra said, right next to her.

Rukia was too upset to be startled. She narrowed her eyes, but refused to look at him. "I want to be alone," she hissed.

Unperturbed by her rudeness, he responded with, "Whatever Nnoitra said, it's all lies."

Since he was bringing that up himself, she questioned, "What did he mean? That he'll have me?"

"Nothing. He's obsessed with you, and he's deranged," Ulquiorra explained. He seemed unaffected by that notion, and it bothered her more than she would ever admit.

"What deal do you have with him?!"

"None. I would never make a deal with him."

For already distrustful Rukia his cool demeanour was like fuel to the flames. So she halted in her steps and finally glared at him. "Don't lie to me!"

He also stopped, and turned to her, "I'm not."

She looked Ulquiorra in the eyes, but of course he was unreadable. Huffing, she resumed her step, though she felt as if the floor was slowly crumbling beneath her. "He basically said that Aizen agreed," she pressed the matter.

"I highly doubt it." His tone was as calm as ever – something Rukia completely was not. His composure, if anything, was making her inner-panic grow to the point it was surfacing to her face and in the trembling of her hands.

Surprisingly, her voice didn't shake, when she demanded, "What if it's Aizen's order?"

"Aizen-sama wouldn't give such an order," Ulquiorra assured her, and she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying he knew nothing about that traitor. She was aware she could be naïve sometimes, but she would never have thought that she would want to call him that.

They finally reached her room, and he opened the door for her. She automatically nodded her thanks and was at the threshold, when he added, "Besides, I wouldn't let Nnoitra hurt you. Nnoitra or anyone else, for that matter."

Rukia stopped short, turned around and stared, unsure whether she heard him right. But he always spoke in clear voice, so there was no mistake – he said what he said. But did he mean what he said?

・

Ulquiorra knew for some time already that he'd rather give Rukia a swift, painless death himself than see her suffer. Even if it was Aizen-sama's order to give her to Nnoitra, he would still kill her. She didn't deserve pain and humiliation that the degenerate would inflict on her.

At least that was what he had decided before. Yet a different option he hadn't considered, started to emerge. Looking at her wanting to trust him, he acknowledged this odd urge – to protect her. He had never protected anyone. And here she was, a Shinigami, soon to be completely useless to him, yet he wanted to keep her safe. Did it mean he cared about her?

Whatever it meant, he liked that his words took the worry away from her face.

To further lift her spirits Ulquiorra retrieved the bag of konpeitō from his pocket and handed it to her. "You forgot these."

Rukia hesitantly took it in her hands and looked to and fro between him and the small bag. "Thank you, Ulquiorra," she finally said, and he knew she thanked him not only for the sweets.

Then her gaze fixed on his left forearm, and his blood-stained sleeve. "Your arm! Are you hurt?" she exclaimed and jerked as if she wanted to come up to him, but stopped herself at the last moment. Her eyes were huge with concern. Was she worried about him?

"No, it healed already," he said and showed her that there was no wound anymore.

It didn't seem to put her mind at ease. "What happened?"

"A small spat with Nnoitra," Ulquiorra replied with a shrug. Knowing he should have done it days ago, he warned her, "He's obsessed with you and he'll come after you, if given half the chance. So don't give him an opportunity and don't wander on your own."

"I won't," Rukia said earnestly.

"Good." He took a last look at her pretty face, before nodding, and leaving for his duties. He was awfully late already.

Most importantly, though, he had to meet with Aizen-sama, and clear this mess up. He was ready to go to any lengths, even claim her for himself, as long as she didn't end up in Nnoitra's claws. He had to protect her no matter what.

・

Once Ulquiorra was gone, Rukia sat on her bed. Only then did her heart began to thump louder and quicker, and her cheeks became hot with blush. Had he said that he would protect her? That was what his words basically meant, right? Did he care about her after all? If she was just a duty for him, he wouldn't have bothered saying anything like that, would he?

This moment of exhilaration was soon gone, once she realised what fancies she was indulging in. She should not be entertaining thoughts like this and she most definitely should not be nurturing any redundant feelings. Ulquiorra was her enemy, for Soul Society's sake! She could respect him, but that was it.

It wasn't as if he would harbour any deeper feeling for her, too… He wasn't a very emotive person to begin with.

Shaking her head fervently, Rukia decided it was time to do some heavy exercises to regain her focus. She pushed herself today more than yesterday, until her muscles were giving up on her and her clothes were soaked with sweat. Only then she was satisfied enough to end her workout. She staggered to the bathroom and took a long, rewarding bath.

Next time she thought of Ulquiorra was only when he arrived with her dinner. And he didn't stay, too busy with his duties. He only left her the trolley with food and said that the servant would clear it later. She was kind of glad for that.

Rukia trained some more in the late afternoon, but this time with reiatsu. It didn't exhaust her as much, so afterwards she only washed her face and, lying on her bed, she finally treated herself to konpeitō.

The little star-like shaped sweets reminded her of her childhood in Inuzuri. Those harsh times had been sweetened by the company of Renji and their friends, and of course konpeitō, though rarely as they were difficult to obtain (they usually had to steal them). How many decades ago had been the last time they had sat under a tree and ate them, with no real care for the world, still possessing that childishly naïve belief that they could do anything, even reach the stars just as they reached their sweet equivalents?

Renji… Ichigo, Inoue, Ishida, Sado, Byakuya-nii-sama… Are they doing all right?

Rukia looked at their bunny portraits above her head. There was no single day she wouldn't think about them. Without a doubt they were preparing for the war that should take place rather sooner than later; she assumed that it would happen by the end of this year. With a smile she imagined them training together, boys causing a commotion, Inoue trying to calm them, and Nii-sama looking at them with scorn… well, Nii-sama would most probably be training alone… How she wished she could be with them!

Tears started to well in her eyes, when she heard a knock on the door. She quickly blinked them away, lest Ulquiorra noticed them.

・

Ulquiorra finally could take a break from his duties and relax in Rukia's presence. So far he hadn't been able to meet with Aizen-sama. He had only ran into Ichimaru, but he didn't trust him with her fate, even though he seemed to be fond of her. He considered the potential support from the Fox as a last resort.

"Thank you for the meal." Her voice broke him out of his thoughts and he looked at her. Instead of going back to her desk, however, she approached him, and stretched out her hand with the konpeitō bag.

"Here, have one," Rukia offered.

Ulquiorra took one and examined the small, round, yet star-like sweet. He put it in his mouth, and once it melted on his tongue, he commented, "Sweet."

She smiled, but there was something melancholic about her expression. "Well, it's just sugar… But for a stray kid they were something almost magical. More often than not they were just as unattainable as real stars."

"I thought you were from a noble family," he said, pretty sure that Kuchiki clan was one of Soul Society's Four Great Noble families. Not to mention, she possessed a noblewoman's gracefulness, but also could be haughty like one at times.

"I am now, because I got adopted," Rukia explained. "But I grew up in Inuzuri, the 78th District of Rukongai. Slums, basically. Cruel place, one of the worst in Soul Society."

"How did you survive it and became a Shinigami?" Ulquiorra asked, genuinely curious.

She sat in the other armchair, and told him a brief story of her life. How she had had to fend for herself from a very tender age. How she had met Renji and their other friends, and how the two of them had decided to find a better life in Seireitei as Shinigamis, once they were the last ones still alive. How she had learned that she had a sister that abandoned her and who married into the Kuchiki clan. How Byakuya Kuchiki had found her and adopted her.

Ulquiorra was surprised to learn that Rukia hadn't had an easy life, and now knowing that, he understood her pride a little better, to the point he found himself sort of respecting her for it. Perhaps from all those advertises she had faced came her stubbornness, too.

"To think I was this close to meeting my sister…" she sadly commented at the end.

Ulquiorra frowned. "Why would you want to meet her? She abandoned you."

Rukia shook her head. "She made a difficult choice in order to survive, and she had regretted it for the rest of her life. I could never hold it against her."

He couldn't decide if her magnanimity was admirable or naïve. It didn't surprise him, though. After all, she still believed in her friends who had left her behind. If he were in her shoes, abandoned or betrayed like she, he was certain he wouldn't find it in himself to forgive. That was also why he didn't expect her to show him forgiveness, once she learned the whole truth he was keeping from her. Not to mention, he didn't deserve it – he was no-one to her, after all.

Yet, enjoying their relation so far and how it was progressing, deep down he entertained an idea of keeping her in the dark forever.

・

Rukia wanted to learn something about Ulquiorra, this way maybe she would be able to understand him a little. So after a pause, she dared to ask a question of her own. It was his turn to reveal anything personal, too. "I died as an infant, so I don't remember a thing, but do you remember anything from your Human life?"

"No," he replied, and for a moment she thought it was all he would say. Then he surprised her by adding, "I think I did remember something vaguely a long time ago, but all memories now have been obscured with time. But it must have been quite miserable, considering I became a Hollow."

She felt for him, but didn't comment so, afraid he would take it amiss. Instead she asked, "How long have you been a Hollow?"

Ulquiorra pondered for a moment. "Around two hundred years, give or take. There are quite long periods of time I don't remember at all, so I don't know exactly."

"Two hundred, huh? That's quite long." Still less than what Rukia would give him – he was always so serious… She pointed at herself, "Around one hundred and fifty here, though as a Soul."

・

Ulquiorra was quite enjoying the peaceful evening with Rukia, and so when he checked the time, it didn't come to him as a surprise to learn that he was sitting there with her for over an hour. This was the longest he spent with her yet, and even though technically it was a waste of time, he decided he didn't mind it.

Nevertheless he should be returning to his duties, so he stood up and said, "I must be going now."

Rukia looked at the clock and back at him, a mild surprise on her face. "Right. See you tomorrow, Ulquiorra."

He nodded, and inwardly noted that she was becoming more and more agreeable, even – dare he say – cute. Despite her once saying she hated and resented him, it seemed that animosity was long-gone and she didn't really mind his company. Her attitude towards him, too, improved and was beyond just civil. Perhaps he was growing on her, just as she was undeniably growing on him.

Ulquiorra couldn't deny that she was affecting him. Something about her drew him to her and made him want to protect her. Still, if Aizen-sama ordered him to kill her, he would do it. If he ordered him to give her to Nnoitra, he would kill her. But what if one day he would find himself unable to end her life? He couldn't be having such dilemmas. That was why he had to make her his, at least officially, so not even Aizen-sama had the right to determine her fate.

When he was closing the door after himself, their eyes met for a brief moment, and he could swear she smiled sweetly at him.

Rukia woke up and with dismay realised that once again she dreamt cosy dreams of Ulquiorra. Like, what the hell? Why would that, of all things, be happening to her? She could understand him appearing in her dreams as he had become somewhat of a constant in her everyday… But why dreams of such nature? Why did she wake up filled with what was almost a longing?

Their relation had improved lately, true. He treated her better and with more patience, and she had noticed and appreciated his effort, and was trying to return the favour. There had been some physical contact between them, but nothing indecent or suggestive (…right?).

She might have once – just once! …okay, maybe twice… – admitted that he was quite handsome, but it wasn't a reason for it now coming back to bite her in the arse!

Ulquiorra wasn't helping, too. His words still tended to be cold or cruel, but because of that, if he said something nice for a change, it stirred her emotions all the more, increasing her heartbeat and heating up her face. His actions, too… he had caught her off guard with his thoughtfulness a few times already – a few times more than she would have ever expected him to. She couldn't help but warm up to him a bit.

Still, all that put together made no rational grounds for dreams of his warm embrace, or worse… him cupping her cheek and leaning in…

Red as a tomato, Rukia realised that it was late and she was still in bed, and Ulquiorra would be coming soon with her breakfast. Grumbling something incoherently under her breath, she scrambled off the bed and disappeared in the bathroom to get ready for the day.

At seven thirty she was sitting by the desk, trying to draw her Las Noches Diary. She was really behind with her work, as she still had to document the last four days. Yet, with a pencil in her hand she mostly fidgeted, looking back and forth between the door and the clock.

Ulquiorra was late.

Forcing herself to look at the blank sheet of paper in front of her, Rukia wondered how she should depict her escapade to retrieve Sode no Shirayuki… She started to sketch. First herself, standing next to her zanpakutō. When she moved on to Ulquiorra, she remembered he had been shirt-less…

The pencil broke. She crumpled the sheet of paper in her hands and threw it in the rubbish bin. She was not going to draw that!

A knock on the door only deepened her blush, until she realised it sounded different. Soon enough she understood why.

A female servant entered with a trolley holding her food. But there was no Ulquiorra.

"Good morning, Rukia-sama," she greeted her. "I brought you your breakfast. Ulquiorra-sama could not make it this morning, and he asked me to let you know that he might not make it later as well."

"Oh, okay," was all Rukia could reply.

"I shall come back in an hour to take the trolley." The servant bowed and left.

She was slightly puzzled. This was the second time Ulquiorra let her eat by herself, though this time he didn't even show his face. Had it finally dawned on him that she could eat her meals all by herself without his supervision? Or was he that busy that he couldn't spare even those twenty to thirty minutes?

Either way it felt kind of refreshing, and the risk of faltering again because of him was lower for the time being.

After breakfast Rukia somehow managed to sketch the event from the evening of her tenth day in Las Noches… but with fully clothed Ulquiorra. She allowed herself this small censorship, as the fact what he had or hadn't wore had little to no impact on the story overall. Satisfied, she took the bag with konpeitō, popped one into her mouth, and sat on the bed.

She played with the pretty ribbon, tying it between her fingers or on her wrist. She even braided it into her hair, and went to the bathroom to check the hairdo in the mirror. It came out a little bit messy, but cute in a way.

Her smile changed into a frown, though, when she realised the ribbon had the same colour as Ulquiorra's eyes.

Speaking of which, Rukia had a feeling that they lingered on her longer than before, and met her eyes too often. Or did they always do that, she just hadn't noticed it before? As usual his gaze was indifferent and lacked emotion but for a sporadic curiosity or undefined intensity, and because of that she was unable to read him. But what did he hide behind them? How did he perceive her, really?

Her thoughts were again drifting towards him, so she left the bathroom to do some workout.

※

When Ulquiorra didn't come the second time… she kind of started to miss him.

Rukia had got used to his presence, no use denying that. His reiatsu didn't intimidate her nor made her shiver in fear. He actually made her feel safe, oddly enough. She knew he was powerful – he wasn't the 4th Espada for nothing, yet he wasn't flaunting it. The same went for his intelligence. It was obvious that in this field he excelled her quite considerably, but he didn't act as if he had her for a complete idiot.

Though she did think Ulquiorra was a fool in a few matters… After all, he had ridiculed her ideals… Just because he didn't understand something, it didn't mean it didn't exist. Just because he didn't see something, it didn't mean someone else couldn't see or feel it. Taking in the world and people around strictly through objective eyes was erroneous at the very core. Not everything was what it seemed at the face value. There were context and nuances to be taken into consideration if truth was to be found. And even truth could be subjective.

Could he ever realise that?

Most of the afternoon Rukia spent on improving control over her reiatsu. At one point she got distracted by a stray thought of Ulquiorra and the energy orb burst right into her face… Well, Healing Spell was also a good training… Afterwards, she washed her singed face and rebraided her hair, this time more neatly.

※

Seven o'clock in the evening found her sitting in the window with her legs hanging out. Still no-one came with her supper. She was hungry and a little bit upset.

The fake sky was mostly dark, but for a last bit of red on the horizon where the sun was setting. It was quite chilly outside, so goose bumps appeared on her bare arms, but she didn't mind it at all, being used to the cool aura of Sode no Shirayuki. The smell of Hueco Mundo's winds was disheartening, and it slightly influenced her mood.

・

Ulquiorra finally finished his duties, and the last thing he had left for today was Rukia's supper. He could have a servant fill in for him again, while he finally would catch some sleep, but he wanted to check up on her himself. So knocking on the door, he entered her room, bringing in her meal.

He didn't spot her right away, so he looked up, and there she was, sitting in the window. She didn't move to greet him, though. Did she not hear him arrive or was she ignoring him for some reason?

After quietly dismissing the servant, Ulquiorra stood in the middle of the room and studied her from his spot. She was leaning against the window's frame, gazing ahead – at the fake sky, most likely. She seemed to be lost in thought, and he wondered what she was contemplating up there? Her home? Her friends? A way to escape? All Hueco Mundo could offer her in return was despair and death. So whatever it was that she missed or hoped for, it would be best if she threw it away, and forgot about it. This way her life would be easier in this forsaken land. Empty as his, though.

"Rukia," he eventually called her.

She jerked in surprise and turned around to look at him. "Ulquiorra," she mumbled, and jumping off the window, she approached him. He immediately noticed that her hair was different. It was braided to the side, with the ribbon from konpeitō bag interwoven and ending in a small bow at the end. It suited her, exposing a bit more of her face and making her look even more feminine. He liked it, while at the same time his fingers itched to undo her hair.

Rukia looked him over and commented, breaking him out of his unusual musings, "You look tired."

"Haven't slept since last night," Ulquiorra replied, seeing no harm in telling the truth.

A frown appeared on her face. After a pause she asked hesitantly, "We're… not fighting yet… are we? You'd tell me if we were, wouldn't you?"

"No." Rukia cast down her eyes, so he quickly added, "And yes, I would."

She looked back at him with a soft smile of gratitude, but it didn't clear her sadness away. And not only could Ulquiorra do nothing about it, but he would soon add to it.

With a nod she took the tray with her supper and sat down by the desk to eat it. He sat in his armchair, but didn't close his eyes right away, wanting to observe her a little bit longer. Before he noticed, though, her soothing reiatsu lulled him to sleep.

・

When Rukia finished her supper, as usual she put away the plates on the trolley and returned to her seat to wait for Ulquiorra to leave. Strangely enough, he didn't move. She looked at him closely – he had his eyes closed, his chest was falling and rising rhythmically… the only thing that was out of the ordinary was that by now he should be standing up and going for the door.

Was he… asleep? As bizarre as the notion was, it appeared that he indeed was. Should she wake him up? If he was busy with preparations for the war, then perhaps it would be better if he remained asleep and idle…

Using the opportunity, Rukia again studied his face, this time more openly. He was a handsome man, but there was something unique in his features that made him interesting to look at. Personally she thought it was a shame he didn't use his facial muscles more, always being so indifferent or apathetic. She still had no idea if it was his mask, or he was indeed this emotionless. She hoped for the first. After all, she would like to see him smile one day. All propriety be damned, but she would allow herself to swoon over him if he did that.

A bright idea entered her mind, and she took out a fresh sheet of paper and a pencil and started to draw him. With her outstanding skills, it didn't take long and she had two versions of him – a bear and a rabbit. She had to admit the rabbit version came out better. Probably because the white fur of the cute little animal matched him better for his pale skin.

It was past eight, yet Ulquiorra still hadn't awoken.

Maybe a sound of running shower would wake him up? With this thought in mind, Rukia decided it was time for a bath. Hoping that the change in the surroundings would help, she turned off the main lights, leaving only the lamp on her desk turned on, and went to the bathroom.

However when she came back, Ulquiorra was still there, sleeping peacefully. He must have been really tired, so she felt bad that she had to wake him up, but it was time for him to go. As much as she didn't mind his presence, she would feel too awkward to sleep with him in her room.

Rukia could try throwing something at him, but that would be unkind. So with no other option but to wake him up by herself, she began approaching him silently. For a brief moment she had an urge to take a felt-tip pen and draw whiskers on his cheeks (they would match his cat-like eyes), but decided against it. He would probably wake up before she finished, anyway…

But…

No, she couldn't do this to him. Though she would give a lot to see him with whiskers… And cat ears…

Then, those odd, green marks cascading down Ulquiorra's cheeks caught her attention and she again found herself wanting to touch them. What were they? Tattoos? Paint? Did they symbolise anything?

Knowing this was one in a million chance, she made up her mind. And she even had a really good excuse…

Rukia soundlessly took a few more steps, each bringing her closer and closer to Ulquiorra. With the growing proximity, her heart began beating faster and her hands shaking a bit. She was getting a little bit nervous, but she couldn't allow herself to have second thoughts – once she decided something, there was no turning back.

When she stood next to him, she could hear his soft, even breaths. Looking at him closely, she noted that his features were a little bit tired but relaxed, assuring her that he really was asleep. She briefly wondered if he was dreaming about anything.

It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, Rukia bit her lip and slowly extended her hand, gently touching his cheek and moving her fingers down his face. It was like a tattoo—

Suddenly a hand caught her wrist and her widened eyes met Ulquiorra's bewildered ones.

・

Ulquiorra usually had a light sleep, so he felt Rukia approaching him, however he wasn't alerted by her, as she posed no threat to him. But what she did next simply astounded him. He would sooner expect her to punch him, not… caress his face.

Their eyes locked together, and he couldn't look away, somehow lost in her violet gaze and soft touch. It was the first time his pulse quickened from something besides a difficult battle. He had to fight with himself not to lean into her hand nor pull her into himself. Instead, he loosened his hold on her wrist, but didn't let go entirely. Curiously, Rukia didn't withdraw her hand from his cheek.

"It's late, so… I thought I would wake you up," she mumbled quietly.

Ulquiorra nodded, accepting her explanation, though inwardly he didn't think it was the whole truth. Usually one would wake up someone else by raising their voice or touching their shoulder… This felt more like something between lovers. Not that he minded, though. Her soft touch was far from being unwelcome.

Never breaking the eye contact, he straightened in the armchair, and consequently moved closer to her. There were less than ten inches between them.

Rukia's face darkened with blush even more, but her gaze remained soft and warm.

For a second Ulquiorra's gaze fell down on her lips – rosy and slightly parted. A thought, wondering if they were as sweet as those little sweets, crossed his mind. He didn't verify it, though, despite wanting to. In the circumstances, it would be unfair to her, and he respected her enough to refuse himself this small pleasure. Maybe some other day he would kiss her, when she would again look at him with such warmth in her eyes.

There was indescribable tension in the air, but at the same time intimate tranquillity. It seemed that she, just as he, didn't really know what to do, reluctant to profane it, yet aware they couldn't let it last. After all, a Shinigami and a Hollow shouldn't be sharing a moment like this.

Rukia was the first one to move. She took a small step back, slowly withdrawing her hand, her fingers brushing unintentionally (or maybe intentionally?) against his. It sent a shiver through him, and he had to stop himself from recapturing her hand.

Soon Ulquiorra raised from his armchair, and said casually, "Tomorrow too, I'll most likely see you only in the evening."

"Okay, see you then, Ulquiorra. And good night." Rukia, too, acted as if nothing had just happened, yet her eyes continued to look at him with violet warmth even now. It was the first time anyone regarded him with such a gaze. He felt somewhat flattered by it.

"Good night, Rukia."

Before leaving, he took a good, long look at her, etching her soft expression into his memory. It was the last time he would be seeing it, he was sure of it. For tomorrow, he would find there nothing but wrath and hatred.

OMAKE I

So with no other option but to wake him up by herself, Rukia began approaching him silently. For a brief moment she had an urge to take a felt-tip pen and draw whiskers on his cheeks (they would match his cat-like eyes), but decided against it. He would probably wake up before she finished, anyway…

But…

But it was one in a million chance! She just couldn't let it pass!

Making up her mind, Rukia armed herself with a black pen, and soundlessly tiptoed up to Ulquiorra. Looking at him closely, she noted that his features were a little bit tired but relaxed, and his breaths soft and even, assuring her that he really was asleep.

It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, she bit her lip and extended her arm. Then as quickly and gently as possible she adorned his cheeks with overall six whiskers.

That was when he opened his eyes and looked at her questioningly.

"It's late, so…" Rukia began to explain, but had to stop short for a giggle threatened to escape her throat. Sleepy and confused, he looked too adorable. She wanted to pet him. Trying hard to keep a straight face, she nervously gripped the pen behind her back, hoping he would leave soon.

・

Ulquiorra could only stare at her oddly. Had she just touched his face? And why was she looking at him with glee? Her mirthful yet somewhat impish gaze was making him feel a bit uneasy. Perhaps he was so tired, he was seeing things… Deciding it would be best if he went to his own room, he got up and headed for the door.

"Good night, Ulquiorra," Rukia chirped, when he was pressing the door handle.

He turned around and tilted his head to the side, looking at her closely.

In return she brought her hands to her face and squealed in delight.

Okay… Feeling kind of disturbed by her weird behaviour, Ulquiorra left without a word. But what had made her act like this? Deep in thought, trying to find the cause and meaning of this, he reached the stairs, where he was interrupted by a disgustingly familiar voice.

"Didn't know you were into a fuckin' dress-up," Nnoitra sniggered with a perverted glint in his eyes.

"What?" he asked dumbly, unsure if he heard that right. Dress-up? And to his horror he earned himself a pat of approval on his shoulder.

"Well, it does add a fuckin' spice," the deviant nodded and left, to only devil knew where.

Ulquiorra was at a loss.

It was late, he needed sleep… Yes, that was it. Tomorrow everything would make much more sense. So shrugging that odd encounter off, he resumed his step and started going up the stairs. That was when he ran into Nelliel, who, he supposed, was keeping her eye on Nnoitra as she had promised.

He nodded to her in greeting but to his surprise her eyes widened a little, just to be followed by a squeal and slightly coloured cheeks. She quickly passed him, but before she disappeared from his sight, she turned her head several times to look at him again and again.

What the hell is going on? Ulquiorra had absolutely no idea.

Still frowning, he ran into Grimmjow, who stopped abruptly to stare at him.

Already weirded out by previous encounters, he decided to ignore him, and just go his way. Then, his associate burst into a hyena-like laughter.

"Okay, what's so funny, Grimmjow?" he questioned, having enough of this.

But the 6th Espada was in stitches now and therefore couldn't utter a coherent word, so he just pointed at his face.

"Can't you be more precise?"

"Go… look… mirror," Grimmjow somehow managed to utter a few audible words between his laughs. "Ulquitty," he added, and it hit him so hard, he doubled up howling and had to sit on the stairs, otherwise he would have fallen over and down. Tears started flowing down his face.

Now talk about disturbing…

Ulquiorra hurried to his rooms and into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, he couldn't believe what he saw.

What the fuck?

Because there, on his cheeks were whiskers… Drawn with a pen. And he had a pretty good guess who was behind it.

He would have to teach that Shinigami a lesson…

OMAKE II

It was past eight, yet Ulquiorra still hadn't awoken.

・

Ulquiorra heard a noise as if someone closed a door. He opened his eyes a little, and rubbed them gently, but his eyelids were too heavy and refused to stay open for long. However he managed to notice a few things. His surroundings were dark… and cosy… But it wasn't his room, it felt different, it smelled different… And it was warm…

Rukia…

He remembered now… It was her room… He should be going now…

He lifted himself up from the armchair and took Murciélago. Absent-mindedly he took a step towards the door, but then he noticed something to his left.

A bed… It was welcoming him with its softness…

Without much thought he went to it, rested his sword by the wall, kicked off his shoes, and as he stood by the bed, he collapsed on it, face first. Grabbing a pillow, he hugged it tightly, burying his face in it to inhale a sweet scent. Cuddling himself under the covers, content and with no care for the world, he fell asleep.

・

In the meantime Rukia finished her bath and came back to her room to see Ulquiorra's armchair empty. Fortunately he woke up by himself, sparing her some awkwardness. Sighing, she turned off the lamp on her desk. Then she went to her bed and slipped under the covers…

What the—!

Σ(=°ω°=;ノ)ノ

A/N:

Thank you for reading!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Until then! (^-^)ノ~~

朝霧 -Asagiri-