Ugly Duckling

Bleach and it's characters do not belong to me.

I looked everywhere for Orihime's brother's name and all I could find is Sora. If it's wrong please tell me.

"Sora! Ulqui! Wait for me! You guys are too fast!"

Me and Sora were trying to ditch Orihime, but she insisted on hanging out with us.

Sora looked over his shoulder at her.

"Give it up Hime! You're too slow. Go play with your friends."

We kept running and didn't realize she had stopped.

When we finally notice she wasn't chasing after us anymore, we stopped and turned around.

Orihime was standing there crying. She was ten years old and still a crybaby.

I felt bad for her.

"What's wrong Orihime?"

She started rubbing her eyes.

"S-sora and U-ulqui are being mean! You know I don't have any friends. Everyone picks on me and calls me ugly."

Orihime wasn't ugly, but everyone did pick on her because of her looks.

She had braces, think rimmed glasses, lots of freckles, and her hair was cropped so short she could pass for a boy.

Sora didn't feel sorry at all. He sighed in impatience.

"Stop being a cry baby Hime. Why do you wanna be around us so bad?"

She started sniffling, trying to stop the tears.

"B-because today is Ulqui's last day here! He's leaving tomorrow. I wanna spend time with him and tell him good bye."

Tomorrow I would be moving to Europe, because of my dad's work. That's why I was at Sora and Orihime's house. To spend time with my friends one last time.

We had grown up together. I was an only child but I considered Sora and Orihime to be my brother and sister.

I was about to give in and tell her she could play with us, but Sora stopped me.

"Then tell him bye now Hime. You're irritating us."

Her eyes widened in shock and flitted between me and Sora.

She started crying again.

I felt guilty.

"Sora! What'd you say that for?"

He rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

"You were thinking it too Ulquiorra."

That's not true.

If I said that, Sora would never let me live it down so I kept quiet.

Sora pointed his attention back to Orihime.

"Well?"

Orihime looked at Sora, then at me before yelling.

"Ugh! I don't care anymore! Go wherever you want! Bye Ulqui!"

With that, she turned around and ran back home.

I took a step forward but Sora's laughter stopped me.

"That was hilarious! My sister's such an idiot!"

He looked at me expectantly.

"Y-yea, so stupid…"

He put his hands in his pocket and started walking.

"Come on. We only have a few hours left before you have to leave."

I stole one more look at Orihime's retreating figure before trailing after Sora.

Bye Orihime.

I blinked away the sleep as I woke up.

I sat up thinking about my dream.

"I haven't thought about that in years…"

It had been five years since I had moved to Europe.

I had kept in touch with Sora, but I haven't talked to Orihime since that day.

I looked at the calendar on my wall.

Tomorrow.

It was my last day before I would be moving back. I was excited but nervous.

I wasn't sure if I would be able to fit back in with Sora and Orihime.

I was different, and I had no reason to think that they weren't different.

I knew Sora had made new friends and even had a girlfriend.

I didn't know anything about Orihime though.

I could've asked when I talked to Sora on the phone every once in a while or when we emailed, but I knew it would annoy him so I didn't.

For some reason my dream had really gotten under my skin.

You haven't seen them in five years. Of course you'd dream about them when you're about to move back.

My computer beeped, telling me I had mail.

Hey Bro! Cant wait 2 see u 2morrow!

I rolled my eyes.

One thing I was sure hadn't changed was that Sora was still an idiot.

"Ulquiorra! We have to finish packing so we can make it to the airport on time tomorrow."

I turned my computer off.

"Coming Mom!"

I wiped my hand across my forehead attempting to get rid of the sweat.

We were finally done moving everything from the moving truck into our new house.

I collapsed onto couch and started chugging my water bottle.

"We're all finished here Ulquiorra, if you wanna go find your friends."

I threw Mom a grateful smile.

"Are you sure? I can stick around and help."

Dad walked in and took the box Mom was holding.

"It's fine son. We've got it covered here."

I was still uncertain, but they practically pushed me out the front door.

I guess my minds made up.

I dug my phone out so that I could text Sora.

R U home?

I instinctively looked next door, forgetting we weren't neighbors anymore.

Our old house had been bought two years ago.

My phone started buzzing.

Yepp! Get ur ass over here!

I rolled my eyes and started walking in the direction of his house.

It only took five minutes to get there.

I automatically reached for the doorknob to let myself in, but I hesitated.

It's been five years.

I rang the doorbell.

I heard footsteps and a bang.

"Shit! That hurt!"

Yepp. Definitely still an idiot.

Sora opened the door and greeted me with a smile.

"Hey dud! Long time no see!"

I grinned and stepped inside.

The house was exactly the same which took me by surprise.

"It's been a while hasn't it."

I felt awkward, unsure of how I should act.

He slapped me on the shoulder and started laughing.

"Why you so stiff? We're still brothers. Nothing will change that."

I instantly relaxed and started laughing with him too.

"So how was Europe?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"At first strange, but after being somewhere for five years it becomes normal."

He didn't like my answer.

"What about the girls? How hot were the girls? Do they really walk around topless?"

I rolled my eyes.

"The girls were good looking I guess, and yea they go topless but only at certain beaches."

His eyes bugged.

"I wanna go to Europe and find some big breasted woman to make mine!"

Pervert.

"I thought you had a girlfriend?"

He didn't seem fazed.

"Yea? So? It's not like I'm gonna be with her forever."

I shook my head. He stared at me.

"What?"

His mouth formed into an evil smirk.

"What about you? You got a girl?"

I was about to tell him no, when the front door opened behind us.

I heard a soft, quiet voice talking.

"He's cute Rukia, and really nice. I think he likes you. If he's in your class you should get to know him better."

Sora's face split into a smile.

"Hey Orihime!"

Orihime?

I turned around and barely noticed the short black haired girl.

I only had eyes for Orihime.

Was it really her though? This couldn't be the same girl.

Her braces were gone, leaving behind a row of perfect teeth. Her glasses were replaced with contacts, letting storm gray eyes shine through. Her freckles had disappeared beside a faint few that tickled the brim of her nose. Her auburn hair had grown out in gentle waves that stopped at her waist.

She was pretty; no she was more than pretty. She was beautiful.

She looked at me and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"U-ulqui? Is that you?"

"Do you wanna come to my house Rukia?"

We had just finished shopping and didn't have anything else to do.

She smiled.

"Sure Orihime. Let's go."

I closed my eyes as a warm breeze grazed my face.

"I can't believe we start school tomorrow. It still feels like summer."

Rukia giggled and looked at me.

"You'd say that in the middle of December."

I giggled too.

We weren't paying attention and we both ran into something.

We fell to the ground.

"Oh. Sorry about that."

I looked up. It was Ichigo. He was looking at Rukia.

I hopped up.

"It's alright. No harm, no foul."

He just nodded at me but kept staring at Rukia.

He offered her his hand.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded her head and took his hand.

I saw a faint tinge of pink touch her cheeks.

Oh? So it's like that.

He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I've got to go. I'll see you guys tomorrow at school."

When he was gone, we started walking again.

I rounded on Rukia.

"You like him!"

Rukia's eyes bugged and she blushed.

"N-no. It's not like that. I barely know him."

I giggled.

We were at my house. We stepped inside.

"He's cute Rukia, and really nice. I think he likes you. If he's in your class you should get to know him better."

She nodded her head and I smiled at her.

I stopped when I noticed my brother talking to someone in the entry way.

Sora smiled at me.

"Hey Orihime!"

We got along a lot better now than we had when we were kids.

I was about to return his greeting when the person he was talking to turned around.

I couldn't believe it.

He was taller and looked a lot different, but there was no mistaking those deep green eyes.

"U-ulqui? Is that you?"

He's so hot!

I recoiled at that thought.

He's practically my brother.

I smiled.

"No. It's Ulquiorra now isn't? I'm too old to use that kid nickname."

I could see Rukia staring between me and him with intense interest.

She's going to demand an explanation when were in my room.

He didn't say anything at first, he just stared.

It made me feel self conscious.

"U-um hey Orihime. It's been a while. I almost didn't recognize you."

I nodded in understanding.

I had changed a lot since we were kids.

Some people joked and called me the ugly duckling of the school.

I'd finally blossomed into a swan three years ago.

I'd never really thought much about it until now.

Does he like how I look now?

I mentally shook myself.

It doesn't matter.

"So are you visiting?"

He shook his head.

"I'm back. For good."

He's back!

I didn't realize how much I had missed him until then.

Sora walked up and put his arm around Ulquiorra's shoulders.

"Come on bud! Let's go to my room and play some Xbox.

He took one last curious look at me before disappearing upstairs with my brother.

I looked at Rukia.

"Let's go to my room too."

We headed upstairs.

"Did Orihime not know that I was coming back?"

Sora was focused on his game and took a minute to reply.

"I guess I forgot to mention it."

He didn't seem to care.

For some reason I couldn't get her out of my head.

"She sure has changed a lot…"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"She's taller and not a cry baby anymore. I don't mind being around her anymore."

He didn't understand what I meant.

Of course he doesn't. She's his sister. She's practically my sister.

"I mean she looks different. She used to be so… and now she's…"

I wasn't sure how to describe it.

Sora finally looked at me.

"Dude? Do you like her?"

I was shocked.

"No! I just didn't expect her to look so different."

He laughed.

"Good, cause that would just be wrong."

I gave a nervous chuckle.

Sora didn't notice.

"Yea…"

"Who was that hottie Orihime!"

I really didn't wanna talk about this.

"His names Ulquiorra. He used to be our neighbor and best friend. Five years ago he moved to Europe and now he's back."

Why didn't Sora tell me he was coming back?

Rukia rose her eyebrow's.

"Do you like him?"

I was shocked by that question.

"Eww no! We're practically brother and sister."

It really didn't seem that gross, but I knew that it should.

That'd be like liking Sora.

My gag reflex kicked in.

But when I thought of Ulquiorra it didn't.

Rukia stared at me intently.

"Are you just saying that cause you think you shouldn't like him?"

She knows me so well.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know Rukia. I mean he's good looking, but I don't even know who he is anymore."

She gave me a sympathetic look.

"Get to know him again then. Just like I'm gonna get to know I-Ichigo."

I smiled at her.

If only it where that simple.

I stood up.

"Come on. Let's decide what we're gonna wear to school tomorrow."

This idea popped into my head and I decided to type it up and this is what I got.

So what do you think?

Reviews please :O)