UlquiHime Drabble - Confessions.
Oh hai there LJ! I kinda forgot I had you .... Not really, I've just been distracted.
But I'm here now to post this;
Title: Confessions
Word Count: 824
Rating: G - It's so fluffy it might only be rivalled by Fluffy Cotton Candy clouds!
Notes: Inspired by a Sketch by Rusky-Boz. Also posted on Tumblr.
~X~
As their eyes locked, something was different. Orihime could feel it in the sudden change in the atmosphere, some small and undefined change that had her heart suddenly racing. Something that was so thick in the air, she was having trouble breathing around it.
Ulquiorra made a point to ignore her sudden tenseness though, something she was certain he could see, considering how observant he always was. Miraculously returning from “death” had not diminished that skill of his in the slightest, if anything, he’d been even more vocal about his observations than before.
And so, Orihime was almost surprised when Ulquiorra didn’t comment on the flush in her cheeks, nor on the way she held herself as he rose from the couch - Had he been waiting for her? The thought just made Orihime’s nerves increase tenfold - and crossed the room towards her, his movements deliberately slow as if afraid she was going to run.
Orihime couldn’t place it exactly, but something had her on edge. Maybe it was the tense air that filled the room, or it might have been the solemn look on Ulquiorra’s face as he stood before her. Though she wasn’t sure ‘solemn’ was the best word for his expression, since the only visible change was that his lips were pressing together more than usual. But there was an edge to his eyes that made her think that his expression was exactly that, and she was having trouble swallowing the fear as he took hold of her hand and drew it up to his cheek.
It was taking all of Orihime’s self-control to not pull it back and demand to know if he was returning to Huenco Mundo, if he was leaving her, if he’d met someone else … Orihime’s mind was racing with all sorts of reason’s why Ulquiorra should look so uncharacteristically grave.
But then his eyes slid shut, cutting off that slight insight to his thoughts, and the Ex-Espada dragged his lips along her palm, and Orihime’s breath caught in her throat, the whirling thoughts coming to a halting screech at the intimate gesture.
And then her mind came to a complete stand-still when the words left those lips, the flesh still so close to her palm she could feel each movement that came with forming the words.
“I love you.”
It was a mere whisper, a breath, something she might have thought had come from the television had she not felt Ulquiorra’s mouth utter those words. And his expression - Orihime felt her eyes prick with tears as she took in the confused, and almost afraid look he wore. Ulquiorra was never afraid, and yet, here he was, whispering words that she’d never thought would fall from his lips, and he was afraid.
Of what though? That was what Orihime couldn’t understand. She’d never known Ulquiorra to be afraid - not even when Ichigo had lost himself to the hollow within.
And then she realised with such clarity that, if she’d had any breath left to take away, it would have done. He was afraid she’d reject him - had she not worn the same anxious expression when she’d finally worked up the nerve to tell Ichigo of her long-standing crush? Orihime almost laughed at the realisation before she realised that Ulquiorra would take that the wrong way.
He was still just standing there, his fingertips just barely resting over hers as he held her hand to his face, his eyes closed as though prolonging the moment for as long as possible.
Steeling her nerve, Orihime tentatively brought her other hand up to take hold of Ulquiorra’s other cheek, her mind assuring her that she had nothing to be afraid of - not this time.
“Ulquiorra,” she breathed, because it seemed inappropriate to use a voice any higher than that of a whisper. Slowly, his eyes flickered open to reveal those haunting green eyes and Orihime realised that words simply couldn’t convey that which she wanted to say.
And so, she did that which would. She pushed up onto her tip-toes and pressed her lips against Ulquiorra’s, willing her feelings into the kiss, wanting Ulquiorra to understand, even if it was illogical to think that she could transfer her thoughts through the pressure’s of their mouths.
“Silly Espada,” she sighed as she pulled back the slightest amount, the sides of their noses still brushing from the close proximity. “I’ve loved you since those days in Las Noches.”
And before Ulquiorra could retort - Orihime was sure with some remark about the unlikeness of developing emotions then considering the circumstances they’d been in - Orihime kissed him, with more insistance than before. And after a moment, a mere moment, she felt Ulquiorra’s mouth curl into a vague smile before a hand came to wrap around her waist and pull her tighter against him.
She chose to ignore the mutter of “Foolish Woman” he managed between kisses.
~X~
It has been too long since I wrote for UH...
But I'm still spazzing over the gift that was UnMasked so, there is at least another something I'll be posting before long.