They could not save her anymore

Re—written. Extended verison. YAY.

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They could not save her anymore. She knew this too well, and still it did not hurt a bit. She was used to bitterness and had feared for the day when she would realize this.

They would not come for her anymore.

Just the thought of it was scary and painful, but she did not have time for being afraid.

To be here forever… Orihime gently thought as she bit her lip. Would she handle it?

The first says she’d been in Hueco Mundo, she’d just laughed at anyone that passed her room. “You just look, just look.” She had said out loud, not caring if they heard her or not. “Anytime near, I won’t be here. Because, Kurosaki-kun will come for me. My very own prince charming.”

She didn’t know if she was actually talking to someone or if she tried to convince herself.

Two weeks passed. “I can’t give up.” Not now. She wanted company, but all she received were a cold wind and a hateful glare from Ulquiorra, trying to force her to eat as usual.

When one month had passed, Orihime had stopped counting the days. She did not longer smile, nor did she talk. The only human being she saw once in a while was Ulquiorra, and he did nothing but to force her to eat, and leave when she did so.

His company was yet refreshing; she didn’t wanted to be all alone.

The days were all the same. Ulquiorra forcing her to eat, she would decline, after a while she would eat, and then she would go to sleep.

Orihime drawled. What a wonderful life I have.

She glanced towards the plate in front of her. It was not like she tried to show that I do not like this place, therefore I will refuse to eat, hah! but it was just that, the food here wasn’t good.

When she was home, she could eat anything, just to hear her comrades’ conversations about her eating habit and her breast size. It had been entertaining though; she wasn’t’ alone. She was with her friends. That made her happy. Now, she couldn’t even remember how Tatsukis’ laugh was like, what Rukias’ smile was like… She couldn’t remember anything about Ichigo except his hair. The colour that always made her happy when she saw it in school; she knew he was there, in the same school, with her.

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow when Orihime released a moan. Thinking of them made her situation uncomfortable, and she did not want to cry in front of the bastard.

She pretended to look to her right, studying the window, but instead, she glanced at him. Her only company, the arrancar Ulquiorra. His mysterious and weird personality did not please her, as she preferred someone that would start a conversation.

(although, she would prefer Ulquiorra, since she remembered how it was to have Grimmjow. Their... well, his only subject were how the hell she’d get such a big breast size and Orihime would do nothing but ignore him)

“Stop staring at me,”

Orihime blinked. So he actually had noticed her star—glancing towards his way. As she ran her fingers through her hair, she muttered a low “I’m not staring.”

“You did.”

“Did not!”

“You did.”

She could not miss the icy—ness in his voice; it gave her the chills. “…only a little.”

Damn. She admitted it. Jerk.

“Hn.”

Orihime rolled her eyes. Exactly. I agree completely, mister kiss-the-floor-where-I-walk-because-I’m-that-awesome-bitch.

“Do not repeat the gesture, woman.” He gestured his hand in front of the plate with food. “Now, eat.”

“You can’t force me to eat! It’s not like I’m a dog or something…!”

A vein popped up at Ulquiorra’s forehead. “I don’t know what a dug is, but yes, I will force you to eat.”

“I won’t eat. And, it’s a dog, by the way. Not a dug.”

“Whatever. I don’t care.”

Orihime’s eyes lighted up. It was fun knowing that he could not pronounce the simple word dog. This, he would regret. “Naw…Ulquiorra, you do care.”

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. So…annoying. He mentally cursed himself for volunteering for being the prisoner’s guard.

“It will be an easy job. Your job is simply to guard her, and to make sure that she will eat the food that you will give her.”

“…sounds fairly easy to me.”

“It is easy, Grimmjow.”

“Then, I guess I shall—“

“I will do it.”

Why, oh why, had he said that? He mentally slapped himself.

Bad genius brain. Bad, bad, bad.

He glanced at her. She stared at the plate, as usual. Eat, annoying woman he wanted to say, but as he opened his mouth, no words came out. He just gaped, as he realized something.

He was staring. At her.

Her hair had fallen behind her back, but a few tangled up locks was now lying on her shoulders, as her dress made her look quite good—looking.

No. Not good—looking. That was a shame to say to describe something as beautiful as her.

Yes, she was beautiful. He could admit that. Just her appearance made his comrades moan with pleasure as they glanced at her with eyes filled of lust. Himself did not care that much. How beautiful she was did not mean a thing to him. She was still a simple human.

His eyes was now fixated on her cheeks. As they usually were pale, they had now a tint of red spread across them. He looked up, and noticed, with fear, that she was looking at him.

Straight in the eye.

Orihime chuckled. “My, my…now it’s you staring at me, Ulquiorra.”

He rolled his eyes. How he could see that coming.

“But…Ulquiorra…”

He looked up. “What now?”

“…is every espada like you?”

Out of all questions, she asks him that. Full proof that she’s human; simply, she’s an idiot. “I don’t know. Some of them, perhaps.”

Why was he even answering?

As Orihime smiled, Ulquiorra just blinked. “Why do you wonder, woman?”

“It’s Orihime.”

“What?”

“Orihime. My name is Orihime. O-ri-hi-me.”

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. “Like I care.”

She clasped her hands together. “You do care, Ulquiorra. Confess it already; you’re not as emotion—less as you think!”

Wow.

Where did she get the confidence from?

“…Just eat up, woman.” He went from his sitting—position to so he was standing. “If you excuse me, you annoy me.”

When Ulquiorra turned his hell, a laughter reached him.

What the…

As he turned around, he faced Orihime, lying on the ground, clutching her stomach. “Y—you…! Ha—ha…”

Ulquiorra stammered, “What…what’s so funny?”

Orihime continued to laugh, as Ulquiorra went forward to grab her by the fabric. “Speak up, woman!”

“It’s just…that…” she started to giggle again. Ulquiorra rolled his eyes. Finally, insanity reached her. Only a matter of time…

“…Ulquiorra, you said that you though that I were annoying?”

What was she trying to say? “Correct.”

“And…annoyance…to be annoyed, is a feeling right?”

“I’m not completely sure what you trying to get to…”

“And, my dear Ulquiorra—“

At this, Ulquiorra winced.

“—what is, exactly, a feeling?”

Ulquiorra blinked.

“It’s an emot—”

Ulquiorra stopped. This was what she was trying to get to.

Annoying woman.

She smiled at him.

“Well?”

He looked at her. He could almost see her doing the peace sign as she mouthed the word.

Victory.

She giggled, as she smiled towards him again. Victory.

He headed for the door.

Mental note to myself: Orihime Inoue; Annoy her til’ death. She will repay.

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Three months passed. Somehow, something inside them started growing after that day. When they parted, Orihime wondered when she could see him again, pester him about emotions.

In the meanwhile, Ulquiorra asked Aizen to be the all—time guard.

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The door opened. Stepping inside, Orihime greeted Ulquiorra, as she smiled at him. “Ulquiorra—kun, you brought me something?”

Ulquiorra blinked. He was still not used to being called Ulquiorra—kun. After all, the only he remembers being called that was before he became a hollow.

And that memory was still withering.

“Ne, ne, Ulquiorra—kun…”

Orihime pecked him on the shoulder, wanting his attention. As Ulquiorra turned around, he gaped.

As the moon was glowing in the background, it was making her figure shine. And, her smile…she…reminded him of someone.

“Ulquiorra—kun…don’t come and say that you forgot our anniversary?”

“Ne, ne. What do you think? Does the dress suit me? I know green isn’t my thing, but it reminds me of your eyes, Ulquiorra—kun…”

“No—no…don’t do it…Ulquiorra…kun…you can survive this…you are not the enemy…you are NOT the enemy, Ulquiorra—kun…just listen to me…you can do this…Just—

“AAAARGH…!!”

Red flashed before his eyes.

“I know you aren’t evil…inside…truly, you are…not…evil.”

Her blue eyes sparkled as she muttered the last sentence.

“Ulquiorra—kun…I…lo…ve…yo…u…”

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”What’s the matter, Ulquiorra—kun? You’re started sweating all of a sudden…” Orihime brought her hand closer so she could touch him, but he jerked her hand away before they made a too big contact.

“Get—get away from me!”

Orihime gasped, as she clutched her hand. It burned.

“Ul…quiorra—kun…why…?”

Once again, she flashed before his eyes. The orange hair was dancing in the wind, as he blue eyes sparkled as she called him by his name yet again.

Ulquiorra—kun…!

“No…don’t…!”

He jerked away yet again.

“Ulquiorra…what’s…the matter…?”

“You…you resemble her too much!”

Orihime’s eyes widened, as she stretched her hand out to touch him. “It’s OK, Ulquiorra.” She smiled a transparent smile. “It's OK.“

“No, It’s not…I…I remember my past life…I…kill…ed—“

“Ulquiorra, don’t!”

He saw himself. And the girl. Probable his fiancée, he guessed. He squinted mentally, as he tried to see his own face.

The vision got blurry all of a sudden.

“…Wh…at the…”

Without knowing it, Orihime had hugged him. Her tears soaked his shirt as she tugged his arm. Her sobs were irregular, as her whole body was shaking.

“Ulqu…iorra…Ulquiorra…!”

She resembled her. The same hair, the same personality.

Always crying. Always comforting.

Always there, by his side.

“You…”

Ulquiorra did not manage to say something. He couldn’t even whisper out a word, her name…how much he wanted to spoke her name.

He tried to lay it on his tongue, but another name came out.

“Akemi…”

That’s right. Her name. Akemi, with her long, blonde—resembling locks and the pretty smile. The girl he fell in love with. The girl he fought to protect.

The same fucking girl he killed when he became a hollow for the first time.

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“Ulquiorra…don’t leave me.”

It took a moment before Ulquiorra realized that it was Orihime that had spoken. He looked down at her. Her striking, brown eyes were filled with pain, yet determination.

“I don’t want you out of my life.”

“We…can’t…”

What’s with the switching personality thing? He was the one who was always determinated and strong at will.

“I thought I did a mistake when I left my hometown. I thought I would never see Kurosaki—kun again.” She paused, as she looked up to meet his eyes. “Then I met you.”

“You met me.”

He repeated it. Just as a matter of fact. Just as he was trying to convince himself that he changed her life.

“What did I do to you?”

Orihime smiled. “You changed me.”

He chuckled. “Now that’s a new one.”

“Was Akemi your girl before you became a hollow?”

Ouch. Right on business.

“…yes. Even though, I…kill—“

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“But—“

“Please, Ulquiorra—kun…just…let stay like this for a moment.”

He heard her sigh peacefully as he relaxed. Was this what they called…bliss?

He felt harmony for the first time in years when she was in his arms.

“Ulquiorra…”

“Orihime…I…”

Suddenly, he felt more tears soaking his, already wet, shirt. He blinked, confused. “Did I…say something wrong?”

“No, you said something…right!”

She laughed between the sobs, as she continued. “You…you called me Orihime for the first time in my life…”

She smiled at him again.

At that was all he needed to realize it. What she meant for him.

He did not remember touching her cheek, wiping away her tears that ruined her face.

Tears doesn’t suit you, my dear…

Nor did he remember laying his lips on her, as they walked away towards her bed.

All he remember were her words.

“Love me.”

And so he did.

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THE END
and that’s for sure this time…

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