Title: "Someday"
Fandom: Bleach
Characters: Orihime, Ulquiorra
Rating: PG
Word Count: 108
Time: 1 hour
Disclaimer: Bleach not mine.

Someday I'll make it up to you.

Orihime blinked back tears.

I want to be strong. I don't want to be useless. I don't want my friends to get hurt trying to protect me.

Ulquiorra looked at her with those cold, dead eyes he had.

I'll be strong as Ulquiorra-san. I'll be as strong as Kurosaki-kun. Then no one will ever have to protect me again.

"Are you scared?" Ulquiorra did not sound like making conversation or comfort came naturally to him.

"No."

Once she might have chattered to fill the silence. Now she heard only their measured footsteps and the chant in her head. Stronger. Stronger. Stronger.