Hello fellow UlquiHime shipper!

Long time no see. Which I am sorry about but for deferent reasons, mostly the lack of time, I stopped writing Bleach fanfiction in English.

However, when I sorted through some old stuff today, I noticed this short story I almost had forgotten. Originally it was written for 157yrs' Fanbook "Cross your Heart" but the last update on her deviantart page for the fanbook was in 2015 and it seems to me that the book no longer is available. Therefor I thought there is no harm in publishing the story here.

Beta (as always) OveractiveImaginaton39

Can we keep him?

by lilarin

"Ulquiorra-san!"

No reaction. He continued to stare out of the window. On the other side the sun shown bright out of a wonderful blue sky. A day perfect for a young couple in love to be outside.

"Ulquiorra-kun!" she tried, knowing that he hated to be called that way.

No reaction either. Lazily he sat unmoving on her old sofa, his head cocked, resting bored on his palm.

This behavior bothered Orihime more than she could say. His lack of curiosity, that once had sparked his interest in humanity and through which he finally had learned about the heart, was gone. Even though he now possessed a beating heart of his own and a perfect human body, he did nothing with both. Orihime pursed her lips. Truth to be told Ulquiorra's body had been perfect when she had restored him from the ashes. A perfect copy of the one he had had as Arrancar. However this body, like the rest of him, had become a shadow of what he had been once.

After a minute Ulquiorra moved. Slowly he lifted his head and looked over to her. "How many times have I told you, just call me Ulquiorra," he said and sighed before he added, "Woman."

Never had she thought his voice could get more monotone, but the past weeks had proved her wrong.

Once more her patience grew thin and Orihime puffed out her cheeks, gesturing towards the window. "What about you get dressed and we go to the park?"

He only stared at her. "If you want me to," Ulquiorra finally answered.

Helplessly Orihime shook her head. She loved him, she really did, but the situation was grueling. He showed no interest in anything anymore.

For Orihime this had become a burden. The Ulquiorra she had fallen in love with was gone. In her desperation she had tried to heal him in his sleep, but without success. Whatever was wrong with him she could not undo, but in her heart she felt it was somehow her fault.

Nevertheless she reached her limit today, and so Orihime waved Ulquiorra off, grabbed a jacket, and left without him. They needed help and she knew exactly were to get it.

At sunset Orihime still sat among Yoruichi, Tesai and Kisuke Urahara in the shop's meeting room. Once she had begun to speak and placed her heart on the table, she couldn't stop. And so the hours, one after the other, had passed with her talking about Ulquiorra and the problems they had.

"Honestly, I don't know what I should do anymore. I am trying so hard, but he is so passive and nothing seems to bring him any joy. I am not even sure anymore if I did the right thing by bringing him back," Orihime stopped, taking in a shuddering breath before she sniffled and wiped her eyes.

Tesai offered her a handkerchief and she took it with a grateful smile. She dried her tears, bent forward and whispered, "Lately, he has even lost interest in me. When we go to bed Ulquiorra just gives me his back..." Orihime blushed and hid her red face in the handkerchief.

Alarmed Yoruichi raised an eyebrow and shifted her gaze from her to Urahara.

Under his hat, Kisuke returned Yoruichi's gaze and thoughtfully tipped with his fan against his unshaved chin. "Now, now, Orihime-chan, I wouldn't go as far as to believe he has lost his interest in you. However, am I correct to assume his powers still haven't returned?" Kisuke asked and snapped his fan open.

Anxiously Orihime bit her lip and shook her head.

In the last moment when Ulquiorra had reached out to her in Hueco Mundo, she had been sure that he wanted to live. Not only to live, but that he desired to live that life with her. This conviction, and her own feelings for him that she was unable to shake off, had caused her to reverse his death as soon she had recovered.

Only the restored Ulquiorra, they quickly discovered was no longer was an Espada, but instead one-hundred percent human, with no spiritual power. He had tried to hide that it bothered him, but Orihime had noticed it nonetheless. Though the worst was they never had talked about it so far.

Orihime felt responsible for returning him as human and the guilt silenced her. Instead of addressing the problem she did everything to make his new life as comfortable as possible, which was not much because her resources were limited, and it was hard to keep going when he didn't respond.

"Do you believe his powers will ever return? Do you believe he has lost them forever? Not that I would mind, because I love him regardless, but I know he is not happy as a result and it is all my fault!" she cried, unable to held back her tears any longer.

Urahara placed his fan aside and took her hand. "Orihime-chan, I don't believe that it is your fault. In fact I believe after giving it some thought that Ulquiorra himself has chosen his new form. Your love restored his heart and gave him the possibility to return as human." He smiled encouragingly and continued, "So far Ulquiorra has not realized it. He has been too long a Hollow and a warrior to understand that life, especially a life as a human, holds other exciting possibilities. We need to open his eyes to that."

"But how? I really tried. I always cook him his favorite dishes, buy him books, try to get him outside and make him find out what he likes to do, but it is fruitless. He is so lazy that it drives me crazy and it is not doing him any good at all," she nearly shouted when the frustration kicked in.

Urahara moved back and scratched his chin. "My dear Orihime-chan, with all due respect to your intentions but in your desire to fix the condition you are using, one could say, the wrong medicine."

Orihime's mouth dropped open and she looked hurt but soon she furrowed her brows, realizing that Urahara was right. However if using her love to fix the problem was not the right thing, then what was?

Together with everyone else she gazed expectantly at the former head of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

Kisuke dramatically cleared his throat and lifted his fan high up in the air. "What Ulquiorra needs is a challenge, someone who will kick his ass - someone who will give him a reason to fight for Orihime-chan's love!"

Everyone bent forward waiting for Urahara to continue and name the one he surely already had in mind.

Kisuke dropped his arm. "Unfortunately Kurosaki-san is also not in the right state of mind and no match for Ulquiorra at the moment. But," he paused and lowered the fan. "I have a backup plan, of course. As it is it will take a few days. I will call you Orihime-chan as soon as I am ready."

A few days later Ulquiorra stood in the bathroom, slipping into a comfortable white hakama. His hair still was damp from the shower. It already was late in the afternoon and the woman would be back home soon. He tried to be dressed before her return, but lately he barely managed this. This world was so boring and sitting around waiting for her became tiresome.

Sleep helped time to pass, and Ulquiorra had noticed that among the few things he liked since he had woken up in this annoying human body, was the void between sleep and being fully awake. This and to his own surprise – food.

While he tied the hakama, he looked down. His eyes fell on his stomach and the swell that was visible there. He frowned, straitened his posture, and then when this changed nothing, Ulquiorra tightened the muscles until his belly was as flat as it once used to be.

Then he let out the breath he had held and sighed. The woman never became tired of hinting that every body needed exercise to keep its agility and shape, but he ignored her. Though the change annoyed him as well, he saw no reason to start training. The woman was perfectly able to protect herself. For him there was nothing to fight for, and this human body was just pathetic. That Orihime liked him that way didn't change anything. Without his powers he was nothing.

First he had believed to feel them deep inside, but then this feeling slipped away like everything else that had been important in his past life. It was replaced by emotions he now struggled to deal with. He pushed them aside, but when there was nothing to do it was hard. As an Espada his existence had served a purpose, now there was nothing else for him to do but keep her company.

The thoughts weighed him down. That he should have stayed in bed longer, was Ulquiorra's last thought before the sound of the front door interrupted his depressed pondering. Orihime was home.

Buttoning up his white haori, Ulquiorra checked his appearance in the body length mirror at the door. Orihime had remarked that he persisted to wear these clothes because they looked like his old uniform. He reasoned that it was because the clothes were just comfortable, but he never defended himself to her because in his heart he knew she was right. Outside the woman merrily talked to herself once again. Ulquiorra tugged at the jacket's front until it hung loosely around his middle.

Suddenly something in the woman's voice peaked his interest and Ulquiorra pricked his ears. She talked to somebody, and the way she talked struck a chord in him. Her voice was sensual, coaxing and listening to her knowing that she was speaking to another person in such a way, placed an unpleasant pressure upon his chest. In a rush, Ulquiorra left the bathroom.

In the middle of the living room Orihime stood, holding something he couldn't see in her arms. Her back was turned towards him and she said, "You are so adorable. I am sure we will get along very well."

Her words caused Ulquiorra's heart to drop to his stomach. At the same time he cursed the fact that she held such a spell over him.

"Woman!" he addressed her, his voice much harder than he intended.

Orihime swirled around, a beautiful smile on the face. "Ulquiorra look! Isn't he the cutest thing ever!" she said with glee.

He cocked his head and eyed the thing in her arms. It was white and huge enough that it covered her chest. A long fluffy tail hung halfway down before it curled around her waist.

"What is this?" He narrowed his eyes.

The thing moved and turned its head until brilliant azure eyes stared at him. The eyes not only stared, they glared mockingly at the man who once had been the powerful fourth Espada. From out of nowhere Ulquiorra felt the urge to grab the being and pull it out of the woman's embrace, but instead he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Only a poor stray cat that needs a home. Urahara-san found it and called me for help," Orihime explained and moved closer. "Ulquiorra," she purred and came so close that the cat's white hair touched his hand. "Can we keep him?"

He said nothing and took a step back.

The cat continued staring.

"Urahara-san can not keep him at the shop, but says that he is nice and easy to handle," Orihime tried and looked at Ulquiorra pleadingly.

It was only a cat, a mere animal. Something so low never could cause a threat. Still those azure eyes held a challenge and stirred something in Ulquiorra, a nearly familiar feeling. The woman's lips shifted into a pout.

If you insist," Ulquiorra answered flatly.

Orihime's lips uncurled into a huge smile. She placed the cat on the sofa, swirled around and embraced him. "Thank you," she beamed as she hugged him tightly.

From the corner of his eye the former fourth Espada watched the white cat sitting down and scratching the large collar around his neck. When their gaze met, Ulquiorra thought the animal was grinning.

Orihime drew back and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Urahara-san asked me to come back and collect some toys, food and other stuff Grimm will need." She pulled him towards the door.

Ulquiorra stood unmoving and stopped her. "Grimm? Like Grimmjow?" he asked, embarrassed about how he had raised his voice.

"Yes, Urahara insists he looks like your old comrade. With the azure eyes and the white fur and I think the name suits him as well."

What kind of a joke was this? A displeased frown grew on Ulquiorra's face but he said nothing. Silently he followed Orihime, clenching his hands and hiding them inside the pockets of his white hakama.