Corroded Spirits

Corroded Spirits: 21

Chapter 21: Rusted Flower Part 2

 The night is deep, or so the empty desert implies. He doesn't know what time it is, unlike the days before when he knew everything like the back of his dead-pale hand. When things were clear. When Hollows were just Hollows, and humans were just humans. When he knew what his purpose was, who it was devoted to, and how he was to carry it out. But now, nothing was clear. Not the moon, not the desert, not Las Noches itself. If there was anything clear to him, it would be the vivid color of orange and the melting hue of grey whenever he closed his eyes. And, as Ulquiorra Schiffer stood in the empty white hall, facing the all-too-familiar door, he knew that the very reason for his restlessness, and dare he say it, troubles, stood just behind it.

 With every fiber in is dead body, he placed one hand against the door and pushed it open. A loud grating sound drags along the floor  as it swung open inside, but he didn't care. Not that it would be a disturbance to anyone. As far as Ulquiorra could remember, it had been about 4 months since the girl had been brought to Hueco Mundo.  Like what was asked of her, she obeyed everything without protest. She ate what they gave her, stayed in her cell, and showed no sign of retaliation. She didn't even spoke or asked about her friends, not once, and while it was an uncanny thing for her, Ulquiorra felt oddly grateful for that. Going to the point, judging by how, the girl had been going through the same routine with him for that span of time, Ulquiorra expected as much, Orihime would've gotten used to the time periods of his visits by now.

 Because when he entered, Orihime is not asleep as he would've thought. She's stood in the middle of the room, slightly turning to face the door, looking as if she had anticipated his coming. They both know that it is standard night in Hueco Mundo by now, so therefore the prisoner should've been asleep, and the caretaker shouldn't have had any reason to come into her cell. And yet, there they were. The door shuts close and Ulquiorra walked in slowly. There is only silence for a moment, before Orihime breaks it. "Ulquiorra." She acknowledged. The pallid Arranacar did his best not to let his face show any suprise. Instead he asked: "What are you doing up?" He noticed her eyes slant a bit. "I should be asking you that."

 The girl's backlash of his own words once again aroused surprise from him, but he firmed himself. "While I commend you for pointing out, an atrocious notion as it is, I would be wandering the halls as I am now, it would entail me to have been asleep before that, which I assure you is impossible, for Arrancar do not sleep." He said sternly. Orihime's eyes didn't fall. "Even if you don't, you wouldn't be here at a time like this." Orihime said, momentarily looking to the window and back at him. "Unless it was really important.. Ne, Ulquiorra?" She added. He didn't know what bothered him more. The fact that she actually gave a rebuttal, or the way how she said it.

 "You should watch your words. The slightest slip of the tongue can cost you your life." Ulquiorra stated. Orihime turned her head to look at him. "You and I both know that that's not true." She quipped, surprising Ulquiorra for the umpteenth time. "I know myself, that I've exceeded my limitations of words a long time ago. Even then, you could've 'punished' me. But you didn't, and yet you threaten me with it now." At this, Ulquiorra gave no reply. Mostly because he couldn't. "Feels so different seeing you like this." Orihime stated after a while. "Like what?" Ulquiorra asked quickly. "Like you're unguarded. Vulnerable."

 It amazed him how she was even speaking to him. She didn't sound like the kind and innocent girl that he had taken away from her friends. She almost sounded like...him. "Why have you come to my room?" Orihime asked. The mention of her cell as her 'room', didn't go unnoticed by him. Since she had already stated the obvious, and had went straight to the point already, he suppose that he shouldn't either. "I came to speak to you." Ulquiorra replied. He noticed Orihime's eyes soften in the dark. "About what?" She asked. Ulquiorra gave a frustrated sigh. He didn't knew it would be this difficult to confront her. "It concerns you.." Ulquiorra went on. "In fact, it concerns both you...and myself.. very deeply."

 Ulquiorra shook his head at the last word. He sounded so wrong, he almost contemplated dropping the entire thing already. "Us?" Orihime mimed. The girl had taken a few steps towards him, and unconsciously, he took a step back. "I suppose you can say that." Ulquiorra sighed again. "Why are you moving away from me?" Orihime asked, coming even closer to him. "I am not." Ulquiorra said, eventually noting how stupid he sounded since he had again, stepped backward. What was wrong with him? Why was he recoiling from her? "Don't come any closer." He warned. A look of hurt came across Orihime's face, but it only lasted for a second. "Are you afraid of me?" She asked. "Rationally, no.." Ulquiorra trailed off.. "But mentally and psychologically... Yes." He said, making Orihime look at him in shock.

 This was it, he was slowly letting his mask fall away. "Take care of her." He whispered. Orihime's grey eyes glittered so bright, Ulquiorra had to shut his eyes. "Look after her.. feed her.. keep her alive. For my plan.' That was the order given to me." He could still remember the very tone with which Aizen had used when he explained the very words. "And yet, day by day, I knew that I wasn't following my orders anymore." Ulquiorra spoke almost to himself, trying his best to ignore the presence of the woman in front of him. Of the woman whom had made him cast aside his beliefs, idealogy, and God forbid, everything else. "No. It wasn't day by day... Right from the start.. Right from the day when I came to retrieve you."

 Ulquiorra took a shuddering breath. It was getting painful to speak. It was like a breath of air was equivalent to swallowing a thousand needles. "The motive to bring you here, was for Aizen's plans.. But when I took you.. I knew that I had done so, with the selfish intention, of having you here... with me." He opened his eyes when he felt a warm hand rest upon his arm and shoulder. Orihime looked up at him with eyes that shone with so many words. She knew. He didn't need to say it because she knew, Ulquiorra thought as he focused his gaze on her, letting everything else disappear, so his eyes could only capture her. "You became the order." Ulquiorra continued. Her other hand trailed up and went to his lips. "I know." Orihime whispered. Her hand felt so warm against the fanning of his cold breath. With one hand slowly wrapping around her waist, Ulquiorra pressed Orihime closer to him, leaning the both of them against the door. "Ulquiorra?"

 He couldn't hear her. He was too busy playing with strands of her hair. "That time at the oasis...there wasn't anyone coming near us, was there?" Orihime inquired, although judging by her smile, she already knew the answer. "Orihime.." Upon saying her name, the prisoner beamed. She was a broken doll. A rusted flower. That only he, alone could bring to life. The thought made him feel alive. Orihime tipped up her toes until hers and Ulquiorra's noses brushed against each other. Ulquiorra pulled her in closer, and leaning his head down to hers, Ulquiorra sought what he had always been yearning. Her lips.

 It was intoxicating. He could feel the flow of her Reiatsu flowing through his body the longer he held her. And even then, all he could feel was how warm she was. How sweet she tasted. When he parted from her, they were both breathless. "You..are my prisoner.." Ulquiorra said. Orihime snaked her hand around his neck and ruffled his raven hair as she pulled him in to whisper: "And you are my captor." Ulquiorra buried his nose against her neck, breathing in the venomous air that was Orihime. It had been done. They had sinfully allowed the very thing which Fate didn't. They knew that 'this', each other, would bring the end of them both. The only thought that stayed in their minds as they kissed again was: "What have we done?"