Lamenting Enchantment (A Bleach/Ulquihime fic)

Chapter 27

This is not my story! All credits go to The. Teal. Rose. on Fanfiction.net. This story belongs solely to the author.
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Chapter 27: Sweet and Calming
Chapter XXVII

Sweet and Calming

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

-Victor Hugo

Nothing but darkness greeted him, with not a glimmer of light. His eyes were wide open yet nothing at all greeted them, nothing but the endless black. Within his mind he pictured that final look from her, that final cast of her eyes, capturing his before he was sealed within the realm of containment.

His greatest concern was that Ichigo would somehow find a way to defeat Grimmjow and take Inoue for good. Despite his ability to eventually find her again and bring her back, he knew that all her comrades and Soul Society would be expecting it this time; he wouldn't be able to fool them twice.

Clutching a hand he brought it to the hilt of his sword, feeling the weight of his fate surrounding and holding his soul within an inescapable vice. He allowed his eyes to close and he relaxed his hand as he pictured her, always so alluring and entrancing.

He then released all quarantine and allowed his memories of her to soar uninhibited through his mind. He felt the slightest lift at one corner of his mouth as he recalled a particularly pleasant collection of moments, the entire scene filling him and initiating both nostalgia and attachment. It had been the night before leading her out onto the terrace and, upon recalling the scene, he felt a very slight glow of the familiar warmth that had at one time always accompanied her presence...

Ulquiorra returned to her cell, carrying within his hand a practice katana, his eyes set on Inoue as she stood from the couch to face him, her face eager yet somewhat anxious.

He stopped in front of her, regarding her expression silently a moment before slowly lifting the weapon and holding it out to her. Inoue looked to the sword wordlessly for several breaths before reaching out and carefully grasping the hilt.

Ulquiorra withdrew his hand before placing it upon his own hilt, "alright, let's see if you were actually paying attention."

Inoue lifted her gaze and met his nervously. "U-Ulquiorra-kun, I don't think I can do this. I'm not going to be able to go against you after just one lesson."

Amusement crossed his features then and he simply looked to her with a gleam of mirth within his eyes. "Don't concern yourself about that, Orihime," he began, "I'll restrain myself from going all out with you."

"Oh," she replied, before looking to her sword and clutching it just slightly tighter. She trusted him and yet she knew that sometimes people got hurt doing this sort of thing. On top of that, she knew that she was going to look foolish and that embarrassed her somewhat.

Seeing the blush creep across her skin, Ulquiorra shook his head. "Orihime, don't be self-conscious, I swear I won't laugh at you, no matter what."

"Laugh at me?" she smiled faintly, "you never laugh, Ulquiorra-kun and so that doesn't really mean as much coming from you."

"All the same," he replied, before drawing his sword and suspending it toward her. "I won't."

Slowly lifting her blade to face his, Inoue eyed him nervously still. Then, as he raised his Zanpakuto to clash against hers, she suddenly jumped back, cringing.