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Escape from Gravity

El3v3n

All characters belong to Tite Kubo.

Like a Season's Change

[This chapter contains an ADULT SITUATION (18+) that is not necessary for the plot if you don't wish to read it. It is clearly marked with an XXX in border bars]

Xx-Orihime-xX

Snatching the game piece between his fingers, Grimmjow hurriedly moved it across the checkerboard, violently knocking Orihime's away before plopping his down.

"King me!" He demanded with a triumphant smile.

"Oh! Um, ah-uh," Orihime stuttered. A heavy sigh sounded from behind her seat.

"Grimmjow," Ulquiorra spoke for the first time in hours, "She's explained the rules for this competition to you three times already and still you ignore them. That was an illegal move." Orihime rubbed the back of her head nervously.

"Well, it's not really a competition Ulquiorra, only a ga-"

"Bullshit!" Grimmjow growled. "There are a few things she didn't take into account. Our weapons are the same but I'm the more powerful opponent and so my weapon inflicts more damage." Allowing his eyes to close, Ulquiorra maintained his position against the wall but not without a few insults escaping under his breath.

"That seems like pretty good logic, Grimmjow," Orihime intervened sweetly, "In fact, I believe you win this round!" With a wide grin, the Espada leaned back in his chair and wrapped his muscular arms behind his head.

"Of course I win! These scrimmages aren't even a warm-up." He responded haughtily, but suddenly frowned. Throwing a glance out past the veranda where they were gathered he narrowed his light blue eyes.

"Did you feel that, Ulquiorra?" He asked without moving his gaze from the sky.

"No," he responded calmly. Appearing flustered, Grimmjow shuffled in his seat but said nothing more.

Orihime bit her lip as she watched the normally fiery Espada gaze sullenly toward the horizon. She couldn't help but feel like she was witnessing the excruciating taming of a wild animal. Having to wait patiently in this place was like a cage to him, he being a creature that thrived on events much more thrilling than board games. But the young woman couldn't be any more thankful for his and Ulquiorra's company. It was a welcome distraction from the fears and woes that haunted her when she was alone.

How many times had she lay down in that bed? The one so monstrous in size that she feared she might become lost in it if she didn't cling to the edge. Without a definitive amount of sunrises and sets she was beginning to lose track of how much time had passed. Ten days, maybe thirteen? She couldn't be sure but she did know one thing for certain… no one would be coming to rescue her this time.

Following Grimmjow's gaze into the yard she looked toward the landscapers that were diligently pruning the trees. It was summer today, but it would perhaps be fall or even winter tomorrow. Maybe if she awoke early enough, she might be able to watch the flowers wilt; the leaves turn brown and cover the dying grass. This world was strange, but so were the people who lived here.

Just as she had been told when she first arrived, several workers came daily to care for the estate. Their presence had initially given Orihime hope of perhaps escaping or at least calling for help, but peculiarly not one of them ever spoke to her. When she'd walk past they'd drop their heads or avert their eyes as if she was some precious idol that couldn't be looked upon. Did they really consider her to be so noble? Or alternatively…had they been threatened to not to converse with her? The Espada were incredibly intimidating individuals, but both paled in comparison to the effect Aizen's arrival could have on a room.

Orihime's skin chilled when recalling what it felt like to be the object beneath his sharp gaze. She hadn't seen that much of him since their initial arrival, though the Espada hadn't mentioned it she could sense he would be gone on excursions during the daytime. On two occasions in the peak of the evening she had encountered him alone in the hallways, where he drifted by her like a ghost with a book held between his slim and pale fingers.

Good evening, Orihime. He had greeted her silkily, and on both occasions the polite reply had lodged in her throat.

Like a sprig of blooming nightshade, the man was beautiful but poisonous to one who was foolish enough to get too close. So Orihime made every effort to keep her distance, even if it meant returning to her quarters earlier to avoid meeting him on the way.

"Hey," the sound of Grimmjow's voice caught her attention. "I've noticed more and more these weaklings have been looking at Orihime, do you think they suspect she's not really a Captain?" He spoke quietly toward Ulquiorra. Eyes widening in surprise, she noticed a pair of men near the hedges looking and whispering in their direction. They both appeared young, no older than she in appearance. When one of them met her stare, he smiled and Orihime blushed.

"There would be no reason for them to suspect such a thing," Ulquiorra responded plainly. "You waltz around barely concealing your reiatsu and they can certainly sense both Lord Aizen and I's power. Logically, if we are stationed as her subordinates they should assume she is indeed powerful enough to be a Captain of the Guard."

"Still, I'm thinkin' we should do something to convince them." Grimmjow spoke, thoughtfully drumming his fingers against the table.

"Lord Aizen has not requested that action."

"Heeeey," The Sexta drawled, his eyes lighting up with his smile on Orihime. "You know how to use a sword, don't ya?"

"I-uh-" She gaped. "I took a little bit of kendo with Tatsuki, b-but-"

"Perfect!" He announced and leapt from his seat. "Let's give them a little show. Don't worry; I'll make you look really good. All you have to do is swing your sword a little and move your feet and I'll do the rest."

"Grimmjow…" Ulquiorra's voice lowered threateningly. Orihime looked up to Grimmjow who was standing in front of her and grinning like a mad man.

"But-I, how could I even pretend to fight you with a fake sword?" She protested. Suddenly he reached down toward the hilt of the katana that hung at the side of her silk and sage green kimono. Unsheathing it just slightly, Orihime winced at the sound of sharp metal screaming against the scabbard.

"Why would you have a fake sword?" Grimmjow asked with a growing grin. "When you might need a real one to defend yourself?" His irises darkened wickedly. Suddenly, a burst of power washed across Orihime's shoulder, and the Sexta went flying backwards leaving the sword at her hip safely in its sheath. Ulquiorra was at her side in a second, staring blankly toward his fallen comrade.

"You tryin' to start something 'quiorra?" Grimmjow growled and leapt to his feet.

"Under no circumstance are you to engage Orihime in combat."

"You idiot, it was only going to be a fake battle!"

"No."

XxXxXxX

Sometime later, the captive girl exited quietly from the dining room. She wore a frown at having strangely been served dinner all alone. Though in her time here she hadn't once seen either of the two Arrancars eat a single morsel of food they had always been present and kept her company at her past meals.

Perhaps they're still arguing after what happened earlier. She thought to herself. The katana at her waist suddenly felt heavy. At first she had been distressed to find out that it was a real blade but at the moment it gave her a strange feeling of power, though nowhere near enough to give her confidence in attempting a bold escape.

"Captain Inoue!" Turning toward the opened fusuma to the home's main patio Orihime eyed the stranger standing in the doorway, his back to the violet sky beyond him. It was the boy from earlier that had been trimming the hedges. He smiled brightly to her, beneath a mop of mussed azure colored hair. His clothes were covered in dirt reminiscent of the garden shears slung casually over his shoulder.

"Oh-hello," Orihime responded kindly, approaching the man who stood taller than her petite height.

"Since you're new around here I thought I'd let you know the end of the season solstice is occurring in just a few hours." Her face twisted in confusion. Hadn't she observed the seasons spanning over just days? He chuckled at her expression.

"It's a special event that occurs only once in about fifty years. The sky lights up with the entire spectrum of colors, it really is a beautiful sight." He explained. Orihime's face lit up.

"Really?" She asked wondrously, "That sounds amazing!" Smiling toward him, her face quickly flooded with a blush upon catching the warmth in his blue eyes. For a moment she felt as if she was once again back in the World of the Living, sharing a friendly conversation with a boy brave enough to flirt with her.

"It's a tradition for a lot of us to go see it on the big hill just beyond the compound. You know the one?" Orihime nodded. "It's the perfect spot, with no trees in the way to block the view. You…should come." His smile brightened as he outstretched his hand to hers, when suddenly a pale hand extended to block the other's touch.

Ulquiorra was practically hanging over her as he looked toward the kind yards keeper with a barbed glint in his eyes.

"Have you forgotten your duty?" The Cuarto broke the silence between them. "You are to care for the outdoor estate, do not come inside this residence for any reason or there will be consequences." Orihime watched in horror as the young man immediately bowed his head and backed out of the doorway.

"My apologies, sir, it won't happen again." He replied and quickly disappeared from sight. Staring toward her hand that had been robbed of another's touch the reality she had bravely been avoiding since being abducted came down on her like a ton of bricks.

Though she never formally admitted it, there was a part of Orihime that had given up on Ichigo when he left for a place she couldn't follow, but she hadn't given up that someday there would be another to return her love. Perhaps she would have met him at a train station, or at the top of the tallest sky scraper in all the world. Maybe he would have looked just like Ichigo, or like the kind-eyed boy that had stood in the doorway moments before.

She could only imagine what she would have done on the dates she'd never go on, the feel of the hand she'd never hold. What would she have named the children she wouldn't have? She wondered what they might have looked like. She'd never know the kiss of gentle lips that would declare I love yous and mean it when they did. None of those things she had wished for would ever happen, and it was all because of him.

"Orihime?" Ulquiorra questioned the woman whose eyes were thick with liquids. "Why are you crying now?" He queried sounding exasperated. "There is absolutely no reason for you to be unhappy." He spoke again when she didn't respond. To that she looked into his soulless eyes disbelievingly.

"How can you say that to me?" She uttered from deep within her chest.

"Because," Ulquiorra cut her saddened plea off sharply, "Grimmjow and I have catered to your every need. We have kept you company, entertained you and protected you from harm just like the friends you claim to love so dearly. In what way are we not good enough for you?" Orihime's face filled with heat.

"My friends don't do those things because they're ordered to; they do them because they want to." She responded passionately. Ulquiorra tilted his head to one side thoughtfully.

"I…enjoy spending time with you." He stated and Orihime's eyes widened just before she tossed them to the floor.

"There were so many things I wanted to do that I never got to. It's just so sad to think about. And how pathetic, I'm twenty years old, and not even once kissed anyone." She muttered absentmindedly, almost forgetting who she was speaking to until she heard him scoff.

"I would not have expected a being of your intellect to regret something so vulgar, are you nothing more than a mindless animal?"

"What?" Orihime demanded lowly, her body beginning to tremble.

"A kiss: a common protocol of the human mating ritual in which the participant's lips touch. I know what it is." Ulquiorra spoke evenly to her startled face. "Similar to we Arrancar I consider you to be an elite member of your race, so why do you long for such a primitive need like a low-level Hollow that cannot deny its hunger for souls?"

"I-it's not like that!" She responded immediately, blushing profusely at his insinuation. "I guess it could mean a lot of things," her face became redder as she searched for the words to explain. "But for me a kiss is a way to express caring, love…it's how you show a special person your heart." His eyes widened slightly.

"Heart," he repeated the word as if it were sacred. "I see now, you kiss your friends to strengthen the bond of the heart." His emerald gaze left hers and paused to study the red of her nervously bitten lips. "Then why do you not kiss them...why did you not kiss Ichigo Kurosaki?" A tormented sob escaped her throat. His question was unintentionally cruel. Her mouth pulled into a wry smile. He didn't understand the difference but in this case, was there any?

"I don't know, I don't think I ever will." She replied softly, the taste of salt finally greeting her lips. Ulquiorra leaned toward her, almost unconsciously as he continued to examine the appearance of her tear-stained mouth. Her heart began to beat faster at his closeness, his foreign scent assaulting her nostrils. He smelled not like a man, but a misty cloud that chose to live on the ground instead of the sky.

"A simple touch having so much power, it seems rather foolish." He whispered with a chilled breath icing against her skin. Catching the attention of his dilated pupils, she swallowed nervously but didn't attempt to back away.

"Maybe it is." She replied. Her eyes closed when he descended upon her, his cooler flesh just barely touching the soft warmth of her own. When he pulled away her eyes snapped open, almost dizzily. Had Ulquiorra just…kissed her?

The green of his irises were the widest she had ever seen them as if something had taken him by genuine surprise. Ever so slowly he began drifting down toward her face again but stopped when a low chuckle sounded into the atrium.

"What's goin' on here?" Grimmjow asked with a wide grin. "Oh, I am so telling!"

Xx-Aizen-xX

With a hand propped beneath his chin the ex-Captain leaned over the desk as he read one of the many books before him; the others standing upright in an aligned row. It was amusing to him how similar this space, which he had visited frequently over the past days, was to his old office in the Barracks of Squad Five. He'd spent so many years there, practicing perfect posture while filling out paperwork, smiling and conversing congenially with anyone who should stop by. Even now as the Soul Reapers remained blissfully ignorant of his freedom, he was sure they still spoke of him, perhaps in the form of silent whispers as if saying his name too loudly would summon him from the bindings of his imprisonment.

But the novelty of recalling all those horrified reactions to his betrayal had worn off quickly. Over the past few days Aizen had become irritated with the stagnate progress of his plans that had already been set into motion. It was unlike him to feel impatient, but the non-reaction of the Zero Squad to his invasion here wasn't what he had anticipated. Not that it really mattered, he was immortal, unbeatable, the true God worthy of the throne currently occupied by trash. What difference did it make to him if they wanted to cower in fear and hang onto their pathetic existences a little longer?

Still, it perturbed him. Was this realm not the sacred land of the Soul King? He had considered making loyal followers out of the Squad members who elected to bow down to his rule but now he was decidedly against it. They were not worth sparing if they were in fact this useless. At the thought of enlisting subordinates the current state of his little side project came to mind. And she was a lovely one indeed.

Lifting his ever calm eyes he directed them toward the Espada, both standing silently at attention where they had arrived and remained for several minutes. Neither flinched nor spoke when he reclined back and looked toward them in apparent disinterest.

Without divulging his intentions he had been utilizing the Arrancar as sources of information as well as exorbitant babysitters. In most circumstances, Aizen could learn everything he needed to about a person within moments of meeting him, but as he suspected previously, Orihime was one of those rare exceptions. Each day the Espada reported to him with the day's occurrences under the guise that they were to be on the lookout for any evidence of the still unseen Squad Officers.

Over the time spent here they had reported days filled with exceptionally boring events, with not even the slightest bit of useful information. Perhaps this young woman really was a saint. She merely existed as this wholly selfless entity, bravely cooperating for the sake of protecting her friends though she had been allowed freedom and tools to attempt rebellion. Orihime really was a fascinating individual.

"Well?" Aizen spoke, finally acknowledging their presence. Ulquiorra bowed his head respectfully.

"This morning-"

"Cut the bullshit, Ulquiorra," Grimmjow spoke up, earning an inquisitive brow from the man he served. "Lord Aizen, you said we were just supposed to be lookin' after this girl right? What does that mean exactly because I'm little confused."

"I believe I was quite clear with you before, Grimmjow, I'd rather not repeat myself." Aizen responded plainly.

"You said we were to keep her from getting hurt an' shit and also to keep her happy, but I don't understand how Ulquiorra shoving his tongue down her throat is doing either of those things." The Sexta announced, turning to the accused with a laughing smirk.

"You are repulsive," Ulquiorra replied monotonously before moving his attention back to Aizen, whose expression hadn't changed. "Allow me to clarify Grimmjow's degenerate observation. When I dismissed one of the servants attempting to converse with Orihime, she became inconsolable, citing her sadness to having never strengthened the bonds of her friendships through the act of kissing. I acted to merely absolve her reason for regret, and preserve her good spirits as instructed."

"You creepy moron!" Grimmjow roared with eyes flung open wide. "Why would Orihime wanna kiss someone as hideous as you? You're not her friend, dumbass!"

"That is false." Ulquiorra flicked his green hues to the Sexta. "She clearly welcomed my friendship by accepting the kiss. She had no objections."

"Whaaaaat?" Grimmjow bellowed. "She didn't ask me to be her friend! And there ain't no reason she'd pick a guy as boring as you to be her friend over me!"

"Silence." Aizen ordered calmly, appearing unmoved from where he lounged. His trained visage concealed the actuality of his temperament.

He was surprised, very surprised. Not by the Arrancar's actions, clearly his understanding of the human girl's sentiment had been completely lost in translation, but by Orihime's.

Replaying everything he knew of her through his head, he recalled each and every detail down to the last shred of evidence. There had been no miscalculation. The girl was beyond question in love with Ichigo Kurosaki. She had been willing to throw her life away for him, fling herself into deadly combat if only to shield him from harm. And from what he had observed from the recording of their last interaction, those feelings hadn't changed. So what satisfaction could she receive in seeking a lover's attention from Ulquiorra?

While contemplating the behavior of lovesick women, Hinamori was the first to come to mind. Though he had admittedly manipulated the poor girl, she would have followed him for the rest of her existence on the sliver of hope that he would one day return her affections. She might have even turned against Soul Society for him, and probably still would if he asked her to. But he had no interest in Hinamori, only why her bond to him was apparently stronger than Orihime's to Ichigo.

Suddenly, Aizen smiled.

Unlike spirits, humans were very aware of their volatile existences. Their fragile bodies were haunted by the nagging of biological clocks, driving them aggressively toward their desires with every ticking second that went by. Orihime probably didn't even recognize her subconscious inclinations and was likely confused to why she accepted the Arrancar's comfort. She hadn't realized she could be immortal, that she had the potential to be more than a mere human like he had.

Aizen had little interest in romantic involvements. Sex, companionship, and the need to be loved were weaknesses of mortals. Even in his youth when he had entertained the company of many different women he found the experience to be a tedious way to pass the time. In the end he considered sex to be just like any other skill: an expertise he mastered to painstaking perfection and then moved on.

But playing the role of a caring lover for Orihime's sake was a titillating prospect. It was an oversight to aim his hooks directly for her soul when he could appeal to the desires of her body far more easily. Though she thought of him as a villain, under the right circumstance he believed she'd be open to his comfort. He hadn't needed the women who flocked to him in his past to confirm what he already knew – Aizen was an exceptionally powerful and handsome man.

It was even possible that he may enjoy such interactions with her. If he did it wouldn't be the first time the interesting girl had surprised him. Passion was a sin of man but that didn't mean the Gods couldn't partake. On the contrary, Gods did as they pleased.

He wondered if the Soul King yearned for human pleasures. Did he allow himself to succumb to the lust of a lover, several, perhaps? Aizen smirked at the thought. He'd be sure to add that to the list of questions to inquire of him while he hacked him down and took him apart, piece by piece.

"Thank you for the report Ulquiorra – Grimmjow. That will be all."

"Huh?" Grimmjow asked, clearly dumbfounded Ulquiorra hadn't been reprimanded for his actions.

"Carry on as you were before. Be sure our guest is both comfortable and protected." Aizen spoke and slipped away from his chair. "Oh, and one more thing." He smiled toward both.

"No more kissing."

Xx-Orihime-xX

Seated at the foot of the bed, Orihime anxiously rubbed her temples. As soon as the two Arrancar had started bickering she had fled the scene and returned back to the sanctuary of her room. No one ever seemed to bother her here.

What had she been thinking? In a flurry of emotion she broke down in front of Ulquiorra and what had happened after that was unforgivable. Why hadn't she backed away from him or tried harder to explain what she meant? She didn't want Ulquiorra to kiss her and yet she just stood there and allowed him to.

In her colorful fantasies she had imagined her first kiss to be magical. It was supposed to be gentle yet so passionate that she would've become dizzy and so light that she could fly. In reality there had been no passion or desire behind those cool lips, not that she was surprised. Ulquiorra just wasn't a being with those types of feelings. Sighing stressfully, the orange haired girl stared toward the balled fists in her lap.

She had no business pitying herself, not when her friends and the rest of the world were in great danger. Orihime didn't believe Aizen's lies for a second. That man would surely want to take out his revenge on Ichigo and the others regardless of what he promised. But what could she do to protect them? If Ichigo were here, he'd fight them no matter how outmatched in power he was, but no matter how many times she played the scenario in her head that just wasn't a viable option for her. Her pondering was interrupted by the sounds of chatter and far off laughter pouring in through the cracked window. Remembering what the boy had told her in the doorway summoned an idea to the front of her mind.

If Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were still arguing or even reporting her humiliating encounter to Aizen they'd be too distracted to notice her leaving. The hill where the servants were gathering was separated by a small thicket of trees. Her reiatsu was so small that they probably wouldn't be able to sense her movement since where she'd be going would be so close. This was a rare opportunity to reach out for help. Perhaps some of them knew where to locate the Zero Squad Captains. At the moment, they were the only people within the realm's boundaries that could even stand a chance against Aizen and the Arrancar. Brushing her fingers against her Shun Shun Rikka and grasping firmly onto the katana at her waist, Orihime walked determinedly toward the fusuma that lead to the patio and slipped outside.

She held her breath until she finally reached the edge of wooded area, the voices of the people on the other side ringing closer. Pausing for a moment, she thanked her lucky stars that no one had spotted her leaving. Through the thick foliage above the sky was beginning to fill with streaks of colors beyond a normal prism's which was fascinatingly different than what she had expected. The sound of a rustling and the snapping of tree branches beyond her caused Orihime to freeze in her steps. She hadn't seen any animals since residing within the Royal Realm, but that didn't mean there weren't any. Swallowing thickly before pressing forward the sound of a whizzing object, like that of an insect came barreling from behind. Instinctively, Orihime whipped around and put her hands out before her.

"Santen Kesshun!" The second the orange-hued shield spread before her, a slim needled dart bounced off of it and tumbled to the ground. Not a moment later, more swooshing sounds erupted. The projectiles came at her from all sides, but Orihime's shield reacted on its own instinct, quickly forming a protective pyramid around her.

"I don't know how you heard that," a feminine voice rang, stinging with harshness. "But your death would have been a lot less painful if you had just let the poison take you." From nowhere the silhouette of a petite woman crossed before the clouded barrier and forcibly flung the blade of a katana against it. Though the attacker's reiatsu, one that was much greater than hers, was stealthily concealed, Orihime immediately recognized the woman to be one someone she recognized.

"C-captain Suì-Fēng!" Orihime screeched. But the dark haired woman said nothing, before striking again with her zanpakutō, inducing a tiny crack in her shields this time.

"Please! Don't attack me I'm not a traitor!" Suì-Fēng's cold eyes didn't waver when she moved to strike from the other side, inducing several more screeching injuries to the boundary. "I've been kidnapped, please, I need your help!"

"Quiet!" She hissed, stepping away and flicking her gray hues as if she were analyzing Orihime's ever weakening shields. "This isn't a courtesy I give to most but since you had once been our ally I'll indulge you," Her eyes pierced into Orihime like stingers. "I don't discriminate, and I don't ask questions. You have been ordered to be assassinated on sight by Soul Society, and that is all you need know." At the words Orihime felt her stomach drop and her fingers grow numb.

"W-what?" She muttered and backed away when Suì-Fēng viciously charged her shaky shields. Bracing for impact and squeezing her eyes shut she heard and felt the shattering of the barrier, but not the feeling of a hot blade slicing into her.

The pressure of a thunderous reiatsu knocked her from her stupor and when she opened her eyes her vision was blinded by white. Had she died? The heaving in her chest suggested otherwise and when she took a few steps backward her view filled with the image of a towering man between her and the assailant.

The same man that had been the star of her nightmares now grasped the helm of a hero. Orihime's eyes flicked back and forth between them disbelieving what she saw. Aizen stood before the Captain, holding her soul cutter's blade loosely in his fist.

"Aizen…" Suì-Fēng momentarily looked surprised before gritting her teeth. The defected Captain gazed mildly down toward her, a slight smile worn on his features.

"Hello, Captain Suì-Fēng," He spoke richly, neither of them flinching. "Greetings to Suzumebachi as well," he said flicking his eyes toward the Zanpakutō that hadn't inflicted the slightest bit of damage against his hand. "Judging by your choice in dress I can deduce that you're here on behalf of the Punishment Force, may I inquire as to what Orihime is to be punished for?" He asked the woman clothed in all black.

"Shut your mouth, you have no right to speak to me!" She roared back. "Traitors as disgusting as you deserve no voice." Suddenly Aizen relinquished his grip but Suì-Fēng immediately sunk to her knees. Orihime could sense the intense elevation of his reiatsu in the immediate area, but it was strangely directed only on the Captain of Squad Two. Suì-Fēng panted heavily and fought against his power, but could barely move.

"That's fine. I really didn't want to hear your explanation. I can deduct the Soul Society's intentions well enough for myself." Aizen didn't budge from where he loomed over her. He merely iced his callous gaze across her kneeling form.

"As you can see, Orihime has made a powerful friend or two since you saw her last." He continued coolly. "And I'm not going to allow you to kill her." Suì-Fēng opened her mouth to scream back at him, but before she could utter a word she was flung away by his spirit pressure, crashing through the thick trunks of a few large trees, the sound of their falling shattering the forest's silence.

"Are you injured, Orihime?" Aizen's calm voice earned the terrified woman's eyes. Her mouth agape, she was frozen in place as the man flicked his eyes over her, apparently looking for injuries. The pressure of the air abruptly changed, and before Orihime could utter a sound of warning, Suì-Fēng leapt high and down at Aizen. Her shikai was released with full intent to stab.

The rest happened in instant, so quickly that Orihime only caught pieces of it with her much slower eyes. Aizen was now turned away from Suì-Fēng, who had crumbled to her knees. Flicking her gaze, Orihime caught just a glimpse of his blade before it was once again concealed in its sheath. With eyes closed he strolled toward the frightened red head.

"Good-bye, Captain Suì-Fēng," He called behind him, "Consider it an honor I claimed your life with my Zanpakutō. You deserved a more shameful end." As if he had summoned it with his words, the woman's front burst with floods of crimson, splattering all the way down to the green blades of grass. Orihime's stomach lurched but the horrific sight was quickly blocked by Aizen's body, followed immediately by his face when he commanded her eyes with his.

"Don't look," He ordered her. Orihime was too stunned to cry.

"B-but," She reached forward and paused when his hand fell heavily on her shoulder.

"I cannot allow you to revive her now. Her body will be safe and you can do it when the time is right. If she returned she'd tell them what she saw here and Soul Society would return with an army." Orihime read between the lines of his explanation. If others came…more of them would fall. Hanging her head and willing herself not to cry, she allowed Aizen to guide her silently away and back to the manor.

XxXxXxX

"It is as I suspected, I'm afraid," Aizen commented dryly as he led Orihime into the manor with a gentle hand on her shoulder, relinquishing it to shut the sliding door behind him. She stood with slumped shoulders and eyes focused on the ground. Though physically unharmed she couldn't find the will to move, not with the dizzying array of images circling her head.

"Orihime?" He asked, but she didn't hear him.

The claims Aizen had made to her within Las Noches hadn't been the lies she believed them to be. Soul Society aimed to kill her, and wished to so desperately that they sent a Captain into the Royal Realm to look for her. In what seemed like an instant so many of her closest friends were now under order to slay her. Ichigo could be held to that responsibility.

Orihime was no stranger to the bowels of despair, but never had the world felt so heavy and she was sinking fast into the deepest and darkest belly of the whale. Her knees wobbled and her legs gave way but she fell into a warm and solid body rather than the floor below. She grabbed madly onto the clothing at her fingertips when his arms closed around her and pulled her closer. The brink of her hysteria came in the form of sobs and she buried them into his well-muscled chest. He held her tight as her tiny body racked against him, threading a few fingers into her hair in response to her forceful cries.

At such a close proximity she could feel the incredible power he kept closely bound to him. It surrounded her in fuzzy warmth bursting with waves of sparks along her skin. She became weightless in his presence, the massage of his fingers into her scalp teasing away her worries and calming her violent sobs. There were whispers at the bell of her ear, words rich and laden with promises to protect her, that he'd break any sword, if it was pointed at her. Aizen pulled backward but she held onto him with a white knuckled grip as if the drenched fabric was the last comfort she'd ever know.

As smooth as flower petals his lips caressed her cheek and chased the last of the fleeing tears. He took an excruciating pause at the crook of her mouth and the silence of the room became deafening. The war Orihime's heart had declared upon her ribcage was wrought with consequence. She became dizzy and could see every thump within her chest through a veil of liquid. She blinked her vision clear when his lips left her and their gazes met. Those beige eyes were molten on hers in a way they had never been acquainted, but his face was a reminder of whose arms she had sought comfort in.

Sōsuke Aizen, his name hissed through her head. It was wrong to let him look at her in such a way. She knew she should let go of him, even if it meant she'd crumble to pieces. After all, she would only be following the rest of her world that had already done so.

"Orihime…" the sound of her name on his breath made her inhale sharply. The voice in her head nagged her to release him, to back away, run. But her fingers gripped harder, twisting boldly into the fine textile until her knuckles stopped against the heated and firm body beneath it. He slowly dipped his head down for her, easing their vast difference in height as if he expected she'd have a sudden change of heart. She knew it was likely he didn't actually care for her, she had to have some use to him she didn't quite understand. But even if she only felt it for an instant; even if it was fake…was it really so wrong to want to feel loved?

His lips greeted her own like a whisper, chaste and innocent in a way she hadn't imagined he'd be capable of. But that simple touch dug into her, reaching past her flesh to kiss her soul. To her reluctance, he broke contact and pulled his hand away from her hair to disentangle her fingers from his shirt. She fought him ferociously, attaching some false sense of security to the clawed fabric.

"You can have it if you'd like," the amusement in his voice somehow bringing ease to her nerves. "But for now, Orihime, just let go."

Just let go.

As soon as her arms fell away he seized the space between them. Guiding her hands around his back he once again reclaimed her mouth, more vigorously than he had the first time. Humming delightfully against her nervous response, he nudged her lips open slightly, uttering appreciatively when she complied. She burst into trembles at the hot and wet sensation slipping across the edge of her parted lips.

That razor-like tongue Aizen had used to cut down his opponents with mere words wasn't at all sharp when he delved it into her mouth. He groaned when the soft appendage met with hers as if her tongue was something especially delicious. Their deepened kiss was like a slow dance, he commanding the lead with a teasingly languid pace. Feeling braver by the moment she dug her nails into his clothed back, the tight muscle there enlivening and contracting. Losing the fingers of one hand within her gratuitous auburn locks he let the other fall lower and pressed it into the small of her back.

Of all the incredible sensations he was gifting her, his shifted hand made her feel especially strange. Her stomach tumbled. It clutched and turned at his kneading fingers, tightening like a spring being forcibly compressed. The foreign feeling was simultaneously pleasant and uncomfortable, much like her conflicted opinion of him.

He withdrew his mouth and she gasped for air, but she wasn't allowed much time to miss it. Immediately he pulled her into him, his towering form flush with hers. She could feel him speaking into the crown of her head, but she couldn't make sense of the words. The rigid body against her yielding one commanded her attention. His breathing was perfectly calm, but the twitches in his torso were telling secrets of desire. Desires that couldn't be fed by kisses alone.

"Orihime," his low voice brushed past her ears. Was it a statement…a question? She wasn't sure, but what she felt next was delirium just before being swallowed by a billowy surface below. The dim light, the air, the curve of the ceiling above - she was back in her lonely room but how had she come to be there? Could he really shunpo that quickly?

XXX

A shift on the mattress and an electrified kiss returning to her lips informed her that she indeed had not been left alone. Aizen hovered above her, his slim form prominent from having removed the outer shell of his uniform along with his Zanpakutō. His dark eyes were shadowed with lust, one of the few emotions she had ever seen in them. In a moment where fears were forgotten she couldn't help but admire how marvelous he truly was in appearance. The hard and sharp angles of his face were harsh but somehow inviting, a testament to his red-blooded masculinity.

He massacred the train of her musings when he leaned to greet her neck. A whimper welled and escaped her throat at the barely -there grazes of his lips. The room was closing in on her at his simple yet igniting provocations. That oceanic sized bed seemed a whole lot smaller when he was in it with her.

She choked back a moan upon the wet heat of his mouth meeting the skin at her clavicle. Shifting his weight to one arm he let the other roam. Brushing past her large breast he ran his fingers firmly against her waist and twisted and pulled until the sash was wrapped around his hand.

With a fluid tug the silk fell loose around her. She was briefly thankful for the extra air to her lungs, but her heart leapt into her throat when she felt him immediately grasp for her yukata…the one clinging to the skin beneath.

Aizen's slim fingers undid the ties without his eyes' guidance, as if he had done it a thousand times before. A ragged wail passed her lips at the caress of his fingers against her bare middle, but he caught the sound with his mouth…and devoured it.

Her virgin body erupted into shakes and quivers at the feel of his scalding touch and its explorations. Orihime was lost in a flood of sensations. She was trying to match the skill of his lips, but the lingering touch he was leaving against her near nakedness left her gasping. He moved his calloused fingers patiently, a ghostly touch gliding past her navel and the bone of her hip. Very lightly he stroked the curve of her breast, pushing away the hindering clothing.

The knot this evil man had begun tying within her stomach returned with vehemence, looping and winding back over itself tighter and tighter. He was touching her everywhere except for the places that wanted – no, needed it the most. As if he read her mind she could feel the twitch of his lips and the smirk he planted against her mouth. Was this his wicked game? To leave her unrelenting, begging for the favor of his god-like touch?

Lifting her shaky fingers, she gingerly touched him, bringing both hands to rest softly against his trim waist. With his guidance she reached beyond the ivory fabric, her thighs quivering at the smooth and heated flesh beneath. She was pleasantly surprised that unlike nightshade the deadly man had no thorns. Perhaps he kept all his poisons on the inside. Aizen pulled away from her to tend to his own clothing with both hands. Tempted to conceal her nakedness from his prying gaze she instead was frozen and star-struck at the sight of his.

With his shirt hastily freed from its fastenings, she was gifted with the view of his perfect upper half. She shouldn't have expected anything less from a man who approached every aspect of his existence with such diligence, but she was unaware anyone could look so immaculate. Every inch of his even-toned skin was stretched over his exceptional and taut musculature, from his built chest to every individually sculpted abdominal. Shyly moving her eyes to his face, she was surprised to not see him smirking at her gawking.

His mouth was parted slightly, but it was the intensity of his gaze that made her shutter. His brown eyes were scorching across her curvaceous figure, engulfing and consuming it with untamed lust. Flicking his attention to her face, he paid her a sly smile. Planting his elbows on either side of her head, he brushed his nose against hers. Those dark eyes were placid, a stray lock of his wavy chestnut hair dangling over her forehead.

"Forgive me," he uttered throatily, "you deserve something much more eloquent but at the moment… I'm somewhat at a loss for words," his deep voice rolled. Pressing his chest into her ample bosom he sighed and ran his lips against her ear.

"You are beautiful, Orihime," Aizen whispered.

Blushing furiously from his compliment, she released a startled squeal when he rolled his hips against her, commanding additional unclothed flesh to finally be introduced. The feel of his weight brought forth labored breaths, and though he was teasing her mouth with kisses and the occasional flick of his tongue, all she could focus on was the impressive swell pressing into her inner thigh. Her throat ran dry at the thought of it. While still clothed, his manhood was dangerously near where she was dying to be touched.

With quickened movement he pulled her from the sleeves of her opened clothes, and shoved them off the bed as if they had offended him. Her sword hit the ground with a thunk. Not giving her a moment to contemplate her vulnerability his touch was back on her, the long fingers of his hand entertaining her beautiful breasts only briefly before dragging them across her stomach and gleefully finding their destination. He groaned against her throat upon cupping the wet heat between her legs that was absolutely soaked from her intense arousal.

Orihime's tiny back arched against his fingers, announcing her satisfaction with an impassioned moan. Grazing his teeth across her shoulder he applied pressure there with even strokes and earned a variety of excited sounds from the much smaller woman below him. His perfectly placed touches against the apex of her pleasure core felt amazing, and Orihime could focus on nothing else but the feeling it resonated with her.

Suddenly the coil writhing in her center became unbearable, and she was powerless to the mercy of Aizen's ministrations. Fumbling desperately she dug her fingers into his shoulder and clamped her legs against his waist. He growled into her ear in response, but to her delight his fingers worked against her faster, looping his other steely arm around her back. Just when she thought she'd be doomed to this love-hate feeling forever, bright white seared her vision.

Not caring who heard her, Orihime released an ear-shattering cry at the intense pleasure that rocked through her. Embracing her body tightly against him, Aizen plunged two of his fingers inside her, driving them quickly into the spongy flesh within that further accentuated the oscillating waves of her powerful release.

Panting together, he pulled away from her to quickly slink out of his opened shirt and the loosely hanging hakama that fell away surprisingly easily.

With heaving breaths Orihime lie spent on the thrashed linens, her skin sodden with the sweat of passion. Digging the fingers of one of her hands into her splayed and orange hued locks she clung to the memory of that overwhelming feeling. She felt like her body had been picked apart by this man, and scattered into bits and pieces with a powerful explosion of bliss. The way he hovered over her now indicated that she wouldn't be getting much time to collect all the fragments.

He attacked her mouth ferociously, she could taste his hunger for her body as if he was starving and being tempted with a feast. Working his tongue past her lips he reached down to firmly grasp her backside and lift her to his freed arousal. With a caged groan he ground against her, coating his magnificent and throbbing length with the warm aftermath of her orgasm. Sinking her fingers into brawn of his solid arms she wailed at the contact, still incredibly sensitive from his previous maneuverings.

Pinning her shoulders to the mattress he drove his kiss into her, taunting her and his own privates with shallow yet forceful thrusts. Feeling excitement begin to build her belly again, Orihime suddenly froze when she felt the tip of his member slide across her virgin entrance. Hit with an abrupt wave of apprehension and fear, the beautiful girl began trembling like a leaf within his embrace.

Pulling away from her, Aizen sucked in a few deep breaths before greeting her widened eyes with his own cool, calm and controlled visage.

"I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to believe it." He spoke breathily. Licking her lips, she ignored the thumping in her chest and slowly nodded her head. His mouth pulled into a half smile just before stretching his body above and nuzzling her ear.

"You'll always be safe…when you're with me." He told her gruffly. Feeling her heart flutter automatically to his promise, she answered him by allowing her fingers to drift down his back and study its fierce sturdiness, the sinew and tendons electrifying excitedly under her fingertips. Greeting her with another kiss, he buried further ones into her neck and pushed slowly forward into her inviting warmth.

Biting her lip, Orihime fought crying out against her discomfort, but showed it to him by digging her nails roughly into his back. He made little sound himself, but when he was buried completely inside her she let out a jagged cry. She was terrified to move. He felt far too big. The pressure alone threatened to tear her to pieces. But when he slowly rocked over her, backward and then painstakingly forward again Orihime felt an immediate difference. Allowing her clutch on him to relax, she released a pleased sigh upon the oscillating shivers this brand new sensation was inducing.

Putting a little space between their closely knit bodies, Aizen freed his movements still moving patiently but with greater speed. Daring herself to look up at him, a rush of excitement coursed through her at the sight of his half-lidded eyes with all their lust and wanting focused on her.

The face she had associated with that of a villain held no such connotation when his eyes were affixed to her like this. His thrusts were patient and deliberate like that of a lover's, not like nails being driven into a coffin. Maybe all of this was just a dream, or an elaborate illusion meant to play a cruel joke on her lonely existence, but that just couldn't be possible, could it?

His reach and slight lift of her body knocked her from her dizzied musings, and the intense change of angle had its intended effect immediately. Crying out at the increase of pressure being driven into her core she gasped and held onto him tighter. Following the rhythm of his movements she nearly choked on her breath when he exponentially began to pick up speed, bringing her quickly to the edge of glory once more. In light of his powerful thrusts she could feel his reiatsu spill over as if it was claiming her. She was drowning in its unexpected pleasantness. When that familiar twist returned she came with a ragged wail, he following almost immediately after with a more subdued groan.

XXX

After untangling from each other, Orihime felt a sudden wave of extreme exhaustion along with her heavy breathing. Wordlessly, she felt Aizen move her panting form and secure it underneath the straightened sheets. He felt incredibly warm at her back, her small body held easily in his contoured and warm arms. It was a surprising adieu to an emotional day, but she was too tired to think of anything more.

Sometime after she had succumbed to her exhaustion, the silence of two calmly breathing bodies overtook the room. With a slight inflection of his reiatsu, Aizen dismissed the candles that had burned and were extinguished under that command. Long having fallen asleep, Orihime didn't feel the twist of a smirk into the back of her hair.

"Sleep well," Aizen spoke, an unsettling wickedness teeming in his whisper. "Goddess to be."

Thank you X a hundred-million-billion to: ThePandaHat, CaPiTalStoRieS, Syria, nypsy, Flare-Flare(x2 XD), boho, Veraozao, update, QueenBlade, Sakura Waldorf, Sariniste, Jess, MORE2, and UPDATE for being those incredibly amazing readers who review when they read! *HUGS*

So…it's really scary posting stuff to be judged by the general public, and it's even SCARIER to post something with a sex scene so please let me know what you thought if you read! I may be scarred for life if you all drop me at once! Ahhh!

Anyway, a long chapter but I felt this is what it took to be satisfying so I hope you all were! There are some things that may seem like plot holes/aren't clear but I'm hoping that it'll all be clarified in the next chapter! But if you have a question feel free to ask and I'll definitely respond without giving away too much! ;)

I'm hoping to continue updating but I've got a dissertation due this summer so I could really use some feedback as motivation! (Everytime I see a word document I think about school and want to cry!)

Thank you so much for all your support!

~El3