Te Amo: ULQUIHIME FANFICTION COMPLETED

Chapter 4

"Dammit," he muttered, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. He was--he let--he said--that was--unacceptable.

How could he let her see him like that? How could he allow himself to be-- Ulquiorra took a deep breath. What's done is done, he thought. He just couldn't let that happen again. He had to be under control.

How did she unravel him so easily? How was she able to get under his skin? How was she so absolutely amazing?

Ulquiorra shook his head and lay on his bed. He was not allowed to think about anyone in such ways. The Hogyoku told him that before he was born as an Arrancar. He was meant to serve the Hogyoku--to protect it. That was it. For nothing else was he supposed to worry about. Even Aizen knew that.

But he couldn't get his mind off of her. He couldn't get his mind off those sad grey eyes, that lovely body of hers, and most definitely just her. She was so--bella.

"Inoue..." he sighed. "Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

Ulquiorra, I will kill her.

The Hogyoku's words echoed in his head. They had been bothering him all day. Why would it kill her? She was significantly weaker than it, so what was the point? Hell, she was weaker than him.

Well, that wasn't all true. Emotionally, she could handle herself much better. For him, he battled his emotions all day, but never allowed a single one to show. If he did, then that would show weakness, and that was something he could not afford to show.

Yet he let Inoue see.

Then again, if it was up to him, she could see everything if that was her wish. He would tell her everything if that was what she desired.

How could he feel such a way about a person after only an hour with them?

Speaking of, his hour with Orihime was almost upon him. For the first time in a long time, he felt the sparks of excitement and it began to rush him. But he knew he had to slow down and breathe, so that's exactly what he did. He went through series of meditations, slowing his "heartrate" and heightening his senses. And when he got to Inoue's door, he felt just fine.

Then Inoue opened the door--and all his meditations were shattered to bits and pieces. She smiled at him, ushered him in, making his dead heart go wild. Hopefully he revealed nothing, though he doubted it because his dream was suddenly returning to him.

"Ulquiorra?"

"What?"

"Why are you spacing out?" Inoue asked, making him snap back into reality. "I've never seen you so distracted."

Ulquiorra resisted the urge to gulp, for fear of giving himself away. "Inoue, did you have a strange dream last night?" he asked suddenly, grimacing on the inside. He never asked questions--so why the hell was he starting now?!

Strangely, Orihime blushed a bright red and began to mumble to herself. "N-no...I mean it was...I can't...it was so..."

Confusion flashed through him. "Was it about the Hogyoku?" he asked, trying to be more specific, though he had no clue how it would pertain to her blush. But he also knew that the Hogyoku saw everything and heard everything, so it might have visited her dreams as it did his and may have even told her something of utmost importance.

"No, it wasn't," Inoue answered clearly, but trailed off again and looked down when she said, "my dream ended when..."

"What did the Hogyoku tell you today?"

Inoue's face hardened and she was finally able to look him straight in the eye. "Why?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, but--"