8/14/2019 El Cuerpo Endeble

1/3

Sangre de Cristo, would you get a load of the rack on this chica? Noitora s murmur contains so much awe it nearly qualifies as its own form of lewd respect.Ulquiorra turns to see Inoue Orihime standing, head bowed, at Aizen-sama s right hand.

Hey, Ulquiorra, you bagged her, right? You get the chance to cop a feel?

Ulquiorra's non-expression does not alter. I follow Aizen-sama s orders. I do not

molest innocents.

Yeah, yeah, whatever, you re killin me here, man. I mean, just look at those tits!

Prey to a distant curiosity, Ulquiorra does. He ll admit the human girl has pleasing contours. He is, after all, male, and before his death, must have hadjust as much appreciation for a nicely-formed rack (to borrow Noitora s vulgar term), as any other living man.

Any straight, living man, to be more precise. Ulquiorra has noticed GrimmjowJaggerjack s eyes stray more often towards masculine rumps than feminine breasts, and he s positive his rival would much prefer Kurosaki Ichigo to the amply endowed

Orihime, at least as far as potential bedmates go. For his part, Ulquiorra feelsno real inclination towards either sex, and certainly none for a mere childpossessed of more chest than brain. In this state of happy indifference Ulquiorramight have remained, but fate (also known as Aizen-sama) has other ideas.

Hey! Bossman s talkin to you, Noitora hisses in Ulquiorra s ear, and he reluctantly gives their leader his attention.

It seems Hueco Mundo s dictator has come to the conclusion that, as Inoue-san is most familiar with Ulquiorra, who better to keep an eye on her? He s to be caretaker as well as captor, a role he never wanted in the first place.Ulquiorra s apathy turns slowly to vague resentment. He s a ranking Espada, not a playground monitor. How much the creature eats or indeed, if she does at all

should not be amongst his pressing concerns. Why ought he to hang on her slightestchange of mood like the nervous owner of a high-strung purebred?

Such circumstances are intolerable, yes, but the zenith of Ulquiorra s annoyance is Orihime herself. The girl has a mile-wide streak of obstinacy and will ofCastilian steel to back it up. For the first time in his hollow existence, hefinds himself fantasizing

of strangulation. Reveries of his hands wrapped around that soft throat soothe his flayed equilibrium, and if she disobeys him once more

He won t hurt her, of course. It s his own fault she s here, and besides, how can he blame her for resisting a way of life that is anathema to her very soul? So he

watches and commands and occasionally must rein in a temper he hadn't previouslyknown was his. He doesn t realize, though, just how integral she s become to his own life, until the day he finds her huddled outside his quarters, bruised andshaken. Pushing the door to, he shoves her gently through and steers her towardshis bed -- the single comfortable seat his Spartan accommodations afford. Sit down before you fall down. Why did you not enter before this? It wasn t locked.

Wetting a washcloth, he returns to the main room and hands it over. Orihime gazesat it as though she s no idea what it s for. After several minutes of listless inactivity pass, Ulquiorra retrieves the damp rag, tilts her face and carefullycleans the rusty smears from her mouth and chin. Dazed brown eyes wander over his

8/14/2019 El Cuerpo Endeble

2/3

face as he works, but focus on his own when he touches a finger to her split lowerlip. What happened?

I I was looking for you. Menolly said you d be here. She gave me directions, but I I must have got lost. Orihime s voice trails off. Her eyes avoid Ulquiorra s.

And?

She stares at her lap. Tossing the cloth through the washroom entrance, he tuckshands into pockets and studies the burnished crown of her head. Even if you don t tell me who it was, I ll still find out.

Startled, Orihime looks up into impassive green. Who?

Do not play with me, Orihime, he informs her in flat tones. You will not win.

Tears spring to enormous, pansy eyes, but decline to fall. Stubborn to the end,Ulquiorra thinks in something approaching amusement. Taking a deep breath, Orihimesquares her delicate jaw and frowns at him with all the fierceness of a month-oldkitten. It was a misunderstanding. And I m not hurt, not really. Please,

Ulquiorra, don t don t say anything. Not to Aizen-sama. O-or Ichimaru-taichou. Please.

So expressive, her eyes. So eloquent as they plead mercy for one who does notdeserve it. I will not. He raises one hand to stop her gratitude. For now. Which does not mean I won t pursue my own inquiries.

Orihime deflates a little at that, unsure as to what manner of clemency she s been granted, if any. Those lucid eyes rove his face, searching. What they find he doesnot know, but she seems satisfied. Her gaze lingers, the intensity lessening assomething indefinable takes its place. You you re really beautiful! she blurts, then blushes a rather attractive crimson.

So easily, she manages what no one else has in more years than he can recall. TheEspada s Stoic succumbs to surprise, one brow describing an elegant arch.

Orihime s cheeks darken further. Oh my god, I m so sorry! Tatsuki always says my mouth operates without my brain interfering, and I--,

Why?

Um. Why what?

Why would you say such a thing?

Incomprehension furrows an otherwise flawless forehead. Hasn t anyone ever?

No.

Oh. Well, you are. Beautiful, I mean.

I don t understand.

I think it s your face, Orihime explains, utterly guileless. It s it s perfect. Like math, you know? Symmetry. And your colors are way extreme. I mean,Grimmjow, he s fine, sure, but you you re all white and black and, wow, this really intense green and it s kind of I dunno how to describe it. Just, um

8/14/2019 El Cuerpo Endeble

3/3

gorgeous.

When he doesn t respond, she rises from the bed, one arm outstretched, and he stands as though turned to stone whilst delicate fingertips trace the path of anonexistant absinthe tear. These should make you look like you re crying, Orihime whispers, as though confiding a secret. They don t, though. Not to me.

She is close and warm and so very alive in this wasteland ruled by those who fear

death more than anything. Full breasts brush against him with her every breath,and Ulquiorra discovers that you don t have to be fully human to be a fully functional male.

Orihime s touch drifts down his cheek to the corner of his mouth, pauses and is gone, replaced by something even softer. Her lips skim his, a barely-therebenediction, but before he can move, she s already at the door. I have to go. I promised Wonderwyce I d play with him this afternoon.

Orihime. You will not walk alone. It s his most forbidding voice, used in conjunction with her given name. No honorific.

Orihime smiles. I ll be okay. I know where I m going this time.

Wait. She does, head cocked in inquiry. Why did you come here?

Oh. A renewed flush creeps up her throat. I wanted to see where your room was. Just just in case. Ulquiorra

Yes?

Are you... will you come tonight?

Ulquiorra considers the question. Orihime s flush blossoms.

Yes.

Oh, good. I ll um see you later? With a swish of white and streaming red, she s gone. Ulquiorra walks sedately to his solitary hard-backed chair, sits and stands almost immediately. Certain physical conditions do not lend themselves toseated comfort. Crossing to the window, he stares out over the bleak horizonwithout seeing it. Human or no, the flesh is weak, and if Noitora lays anotherhand (or mouth) on what belongs to Ulquiorra, he ll soon become acquainted with precisely how frail an arrancar body can be.

Fin.