UlquiHime Drabble: Barely Repressed Fascination
Title: Barely Repressed Fascination
Word Count: 1110
Notes: This was inspired by Ulquiorra's comic in UNMASKED. This image came to mind while reading it, so, naturally, I had to write it.
~X~
Orihime’s mouth was pulled into a frown as she stacked the dishes on the tray, trying not to make too much noise lest her company scold her.
She just wasn’t sure what to make of her time here. She felt trapped, though Aizen had made a point to assure her that she would be free - free to roam her dull, white, room it seemed. She felt terrified, though she’d been assured she would be safe and that no harm would come to her - Being in Aizen’s presence was harm enough, Orihime decided, barely repressing a shudder at the simple memory of the aura that permeated from that man. She was glad she’d never run into him while in Soul Society.
And then there was the way she was feeling about the one who’d captured her. Ulquiorra … She just didn’t know what to think about him. She felt, strangely, safe around him, even though it was he who had isolated her to her room, even though it was he who was forcing her to eat the bland food they brought to her.
But at least he spoke to her, the other Espada, on the rare chance she saw them, simply looked at her as though something nasty had crawled into their midst, some looked at her with curious, but mostly disinterested looks, and there was that one creepy guy - or, she thought it was a guy - who had positively leered at her in such a way that Orihime had instinctively begun walking a little closer to Ulquiorra under his perusal, chills running down her spine.
Orihime turned to look over her shoulder, intending to ask Ulquiorra who that person was, if only so she could be aware of him the in the future, when she was brought to an abrupt halt at the sight that met her.
In the few meals they’d shared, Ulquiorra had seemed extremely guarded, only answering her questions with basic responses that answered her query, while not giving away any extra information, and so, the sight of him completely unguarded and … Asleep on her couch confused and intrigued Orihime to no end.
It was a sight that completely banished the thoughts and concerns she had about the spoon-hooded Espada, and instead she found herself creeping closer to her sleeping captor, curiosity getting the better of her.
Orihime looked down at the sleeping Ulquiorra with held breath - she was almost certain he’d ask her what she was doing in that carefully controlled tone he always used, unable to fight the irrational thought that he could see what was going on around him, even if his eyes were closed.
After a few moments of her simply staring at him, however, Ulquiorra remained as motionless as before and Orihime relaxed enough to allow her eyes to take in his expression.
She found her eyes invariably drawn to the curve of his mouth, lips parted the smallest amount in his sleep, and Orihime couldn’t help the smile that came with the realisation - Perhaps he was more humane than she’d initially thought. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something about that unavoidable easing of pressure that came with sleep that struck Orihime as really humane, and she made a conscious decision in that moment to try and treat Ulquiorra less as a being different to herself and to simply treat him like she would any other. And she would start by adding the ‘kun’ suffix to the end of his name. Yes, that was what she would do.
Right at that moment though, Orihime had other curiosities that she could lay to rest. She’d been watching Ulquiorra for a good couple of minutes by that point, and he hadn’t stirred in the slightest…
Unable to help herself, Orihime shifted the tray in her hands so it was balanced on one, and, with tentative, almost anxious, movements, she stretched out a hand until it came to rest above the lock of hair that was perpetually hanging over Ulquiorra’s nose. Her fingers twitched, and then, she carefully brushed it to one side, silently marvelling at the fact that it was soft. Did that mean Ulquiorra was able to wash his hair despite the helmet that half-covered his hair?
Orihime frowned a little as she withdrew her hand, one question answered, and several more raised.
And then Ulquiorra’s eyes snapped open and he visibly started for a moment until his gaze came to rest on her, the hand that had been outstretched still hovering in the air between them.
Oh no, she thought, floundering for an excuse to explain the hand - “Wah! You scared me! I - … I was going to wake you!” That would have to do, Orihime wasn’t sure if her captor - that is, her companion - believed her though, because his emerald eyes narrowed the smallest amount at her words. And that was when Orihime decided it was time to try and put her decision into play.
“But I was relieved, to know that Ulquiorra-kun could actually sleep!” that was true, at least.
As Orihime attempted to calm her pounding heart, she turned to put the tray of dishes on the table brought in each meal time, trying not to let Ulquiorra know that she was breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn’t asked her about the hand, or question her want to ‘wake him’.
But then, his voice distracted her completely, “It’s Ulquiorra.” He told her, his tone rougher and slightly … colder than any other time he’d spoken to her. So much so that Orihime actually turned to look at him curiously.
What she saw, for some reason, made her heart clench painfully. Even though he was still speaking to her, stressing about how she should call him Ulquiorra instead of trying to humanise him by adding the ‘kun’, Ulquiorra had turned his back to her, something he hadn’t done before and Orihime couldn’t help but feel as if, in that moment, he’d completely cut her off, and the thought hurt her in ways she hadn’t imagined. At the same time … it piqued her curiosity - what had forced him to close himself off to her so completely? Surely it wasn’t the addition of ‘kun’ to his name - the feeling in the atmosphere was more than that. Had he dreamt of something that was affecting him? Or had she dredged up some memories he’d rather forget?
Orihime softly sighed as she considered the enigma that was her captor, companion, and sole familiar face in this world to which she’d isolated herself to.
For some inexplicable reason, tears had begun to burn behind her closed eyelids.
~X~
Alright, so it's a little angsty ... And, really, I'm kinda fuzzy on whereabouts in Canon this comic was set. I think it's before the slap, but presumably after the "Surprisingly, It suits you -> Strong Woman" scene ... ?
Well, regardless, I hope you guys liked this. They're just my thoughts on what might have been going on with that Truckload of Epic we got that made UlquiHime more canon than it already was (I'm still buzzing, can you tell?)
Word Count: 1110
Notes: This was inspired by Ulquiorra's comic in UNMASKED. This image came to mind while reading it, so, naturally, I had to write it.
~X~
Orihime’s mouth was pulled into a frown as she stacked the dishes on the tray, trying not to make too much noise lest her company scold her.
She just wasn’t sure what to make of her time here. She felt trapped, though Aizen had made a point to assure her that she would be free - free to roam her dull, white, room it seemed. She felt terrified, though she’d been assured she would be safe and that no harm would come to her - Being in Aizen’s presence was harm enough, Orihime decided, barely repressing a shudder at the simple memory of the aura that permeated from that man. She was glad she’d never run into him while in Soul Society.
And then there was the way she was feeling about the one who’d captured her. Ulquiorra … She just didn’t know what to think about him. She felt, strangely, safe around him, even though it was he who had isolated her to her room, even though it was he who was forcing her to eat the bland food they brought to her.
But at least he spoke to her, the other Espada, on the rare chance she saw them, simply looked at her as though something nasty had crawled into their midst, some looked at her with curious, but mostly disinterested looks, and there was that one creepy guy - or, she thought it was a guy - who had positively leered at her in such a way that Orihime had instinctively begun walking a little closer to Ulquiorra under his perusal, chills running down her spine.
Orihime turned to look over her shoulder, intending to ask Ulquiorra who that person was, if only so she could be aware of him the in the future, when she was brought to an abrupt halt at the sight that met her.
In the few meals they’d shared, Ulquiorra had seemed extremely guarded, only answering her questions with basic responses that answered her query, while not giving away any extra information, and so, the sight of him completely unguarded and … Asleep on her couch confused and intrigued Orihime to no end.
It was a sight that completely banished the thoughts and concerns she had about the spoon-hooded Espada, and instead she found herself creeping closer to her sleeping captor, curiosity getting the better of her.
Orihime looked down at the sleeping Ulquiorra with held breath - she was almost certain he’d ask her what she was doing in that carefully controlled tone he always used, unable to fight the irrational thought that he could see what was going on around him, even if his eyes were closed.
After a few moments of her simply staring at him, however, Ulquiorra remained as motionless as before and Orihime relaxed enough to allow her eyes to take in his expression.
She found her eyes invariably drawn to the curve of his mouth, lips parted the smallest amount in his sleep, and Orihime couldn’t help the smile that came with the realisation - Perhaps he was more humane than she’d initially thought. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something about that unavoidable easing of pressure that came with sleep that struck Orihime as really humane, and she made a conscious decision in that moment to try and treat Ulquiorra less as a being different to herself and to simply treat him like she would any other. And she would start by adding the ‘kun’ suffix to the end of his name. Yes, that was what she would do.
Right at that moment though, Orihime had other curiosities that she could lay to rest. She’d been watching Ulquiorra for a good couple of minutes by that point, and he hadn’t stirred in the slightest…
Unable to help herself, Orihime shifted the tray in her hands so it was balanced on one, and, with tentative, almost anxious, movements, she stretched out a hand until it came to rest above the lock of hair that was perpetually hanging over Ulquiorra’s nose. Her fingers twitched, and then, she carefully brushed it to one side, silently marvelling at the fact that it was soft. Did that mean Ulquiorra was able to wash his hair despite the helmet that half-covered his hair?
Orihime frowned a little as she withdrew her hand, one question answered, and several more raised.
And then Ulquiorra’s eyes snapped open and he visibly started for a moment until his gaze came to rest on her, the hand that had been outstretched still hovering in the air between them.
Oh no, she thought, floundering for an excuse to explain the hand - “Wah! You scared me! I - … I was going to wake you!” That would have to do, Orihime wasn’t sure if her captor - that is, her companion - believed her though, because his emerald eyes narrowed the smallest amount at her words. And that was when Orihime decided it was time to try and put her decision into play.
“But I was relieved, to know that Ulquiorra-kun could actually sleep!” that was true, at least.
As Orihime attempted to calm her pounding heart, she turned to put the tray of dishes on the table brought in each meal time, trying not to let Ulquiorra know that she was breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn’t asked her about the hand, or question her want to ‘wake him’.
But then, his voice distracted her completely, “It’s Ulquiorra.” He told her, his tone rougher and slightly … colder than any other time he’d spoken to her. So much so that Orihime actually turned to look at him curiously.
What she saw, for some reason, made her heart clench painfully. Even though he was still speaking to her, stressing about how she should call him Ulquiorra instead of trying to humanise him by adding the ‘kun’, Ulquiorra had turned his back to her, something he hadn’t done before and Orihime couldn’t help but feel as if, in that moment, he’d completely cut her off, and the thought hurt her in ways she hadn’t imagined. At the same time … it piqued her curiosity - what had forced him to close himself off to her so completely? Surely it wasn’t the addition of ‘kun’ to his name - the feeling in the atmosphere was more than that. Had he dreamt of something that was affecting him? Or had she dredged up some memories he’d rather forget?
Orihime softly sighed as she considered the enigma that was her captor, companion, and sole familiar face in this world to which she’d isolated herself to.
For some inexplicable reason, tears had begun to burn behind her closed eyelids.
~X~
Alright, so it's a little angsty ... And, really, I'm kinda fuzzy on whereabouts in Canon this comic was set. I think it's before the slap, but presumably after the "Surprisingly, It suits you -> Strong Woman" scene ... ?
Well, regardless, I hope you guys liked this. They're just my thoughts on what might have been going on with that Truckload of Epic we got that made UlquiHime more canon than it already was (I'm still buzzing, can you tell?)