Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

The Silence Between	By : KaiBlueOtaku Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3307 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The talented Tite Kubo is the owner of Bleach, and all its characters. I am merely borrowing them to tell my story. I own only my plot and ideas. I receive no financial compensation for my writing.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
WARNINGS: Mild sexual content (solo)
A/N: Sorry this took so long. I’ve had a lot going on, and my muses have been especially elusive lately. I hope an extra long chapter makes up for the delay… Please enjoy.
WWWWWWWWWW
                Innocence.

                It was the last word in the world that anyone would have thought to apply to one of the Espada, and Kisuke couldn’t believe it was the first one that came to mind as he peeked into the bedroom through the shoji door that one of ‘the boys’ had left slightly ajar.

                It was early in the morning, probably around three o’clock by the shop keeper’s estimate, and he had gotten up to relieve an over-full bladder. Passing back by Nova’s bedroom en route to his own, he noticed the door was not shut flush, and his curiosity got the better of him. He knew they must have been sharing the bed, unless one of them was sleeping on the floor, because he wasn’t missing any extra mattresses from the store room. But he was not prepared for what he saw before him.

                Ulquiorra lay on his side, facing the wall, and behind him was nestled Nova, pulling the other close against a slender frame with a draping arm. A black nailed hand was laid tenderly upon that arm in acceptance, and the shop keeper smiled and shook his head. How unexpected, he mused to himself. He had wondered at their strange interaction that first day, but certainly this pointed to a conclusion which Kisuke had not suspected.

                They were perfectly innocent, unknowing of the compromising position they lay in, he realized. They were like two small children, finding a strange, inexplicable comfort in one another, and he was pleased to see it. Nova had seemed unsettled and dissatisfied lately, Kisuke had noticed, though it was more a sense of intuition than by any physical evidence. Seeing these two snuggled in this curious embrace, the shop keeper could only chuckle softly as he continued back to his own bed, wondering what would possibly come of this in the end.
WWWWWWWWWW
                When Nova woke, he immediately noticed that Ulquiorra was missing again. He was not in the corner this time, and the alarm that had knotted so tightly in his stomach the morning before was back with a vengeance as he pulled on his boots and sensed around for his AWOL ward.

                The reiatsu dampening gigai made it difficult, especially considering his still-weakened state, but Nova was finally able to track him down. He found Ulquiorra standing out in the yard, soaking wet, in the rain.

                He watched the Arrancar with a curiosity almost in equal measure of that which the other man was directing toward the weather. His pale face was upturned and he watched the sky as the fat droplets pelted him, pouring off his slick, raven hair. An outstretched hand reached for the falling water, which ran down his arm, dripping from his fingertips and elbow. His shirt was drenched, as were his cotton pajama pants, but the pure, unadulterated wonderment in his eyes caused Nova to pause and just watch this strange ritual occurring before him.

                “This is what you call… Rain?”Ulquiorra asked finally, apparently aware of Nova’s presence behind him even though the Mod Soul had not announced it.

                “Yes.”

                Ulquiorra was silent for a while, still reveling in the weather. He spoke again at last. “We do not have such a thing in Hueco Mundo. It is magnificent.”

                Nova felt that it was not so much the rain itself that was magnificent, but rather observing Ulquiorra’s reaction to it. The Arrancar was completely enrapt, and there was something remarkably beautiful in it because of his unabashed awe.

                Nova finally shook himself, and realized that Ulquiorra would catch his death of cold standing out in the storm like that. He dashed out and grabbed him by his elbow, pulling him under the protection of the porch. “You can’t stay out in that,” he chastised gently. “You’ll get sick. Come on, let’s get you into the shower and warmed up.”

                Ulquiorra looked a little disappointed, but followed Nova back inside, leaving sopping wet footprints as he went. Nova ushered him into the bathroom, and stayed outside the door until he heard the water running. Then, he fetched a change of clothes and a couple of towels, and used one to mop up the mess across the floor. He waited at the bathroom door until he heard the water shut off at last, then he cracked the door and pushed the dry towel through. Ulquiorra didn’t take it though. Nova called his name, and shook the towel, but still, no response. He peeked through the crack in the door. Ulquiorra stood on the bath mat, watching the door.

                Nova was disturbed by the apparent frailty of the Arrancar’s body. The gigai, though well-made, reflected the lingering weakness of his soul. Nova could tell at a glance that the wasted tissue and thin arms were not the usual form of this man. It saddened him to see the Arrancar this way, and part of him wished greatly to see his return to health, and the taught, sleek ripple of healthy, well-muscled flesh. “Why do you not come in and just give me the towel?” Ulquiorra asked.

                Nova blushed but complied, trying to avert his eyes. “It’s immodest, and unnecessary,” he said, handing the towel off as he stood with his back turned. “What were you doing out in the rain anyway?”

                “I heard a noise on the roof, and I thought there might be a threat. I went out to investigate,” Ulquiorra replied. “It was the rain.”

                “You know you’re not supposed to go out unsupervised,” Nova replied, slight irritation creeping into his tone. “You’re going to get me in trouble with Urahara-san if he finds out.”

                A few moments of silence, then Ulquiorra spoke. “I will not do it again.” It sounded to Nova every bit as much like an apology as if he’d actually said the words ‘I’m sorry.’ The response saddened him, and he felt guilty then for restricting the Arrancar’s freedom so much, but there was nothing to be done for it. They both had to obey the shop keeper’s rules.

                Nova hung his head, and passed the clothes to Ulquiorra, mumbling something about getting dressed himself, and left the room.

                Ulquiorra stared after the Mod Soul, perplexed. He had agreed to the request; why did Nova not seem pleased? It had been fairly reasonable, as well, considering that it was merely the stipulation placed by the shop keeper, and not a personal rebuke. He pondered why it even mattered to him, while he dressed. The idea that he might have upset Nova somehow without understanding how or why, gave him an uneasy sensation in the pit of his stomach. This was a different sort of unease than the somewhat pleasant one from before. This made him feel ill, and he wanted to rush after Nova to find out what was upsetting him, if anything, and set it right immediately, but he knew that was illogical. He needed to get dressed first, and he knew he would see Nova in just a few minutes at breakfast together.

                He raced through clothing himself, and walked to the kitchen with a quicker pace than usual, driven by something he was unable to quite put his finger on or name. Nova was there already, dressed in his usual attire, mask in place. Ulquiorra made particular note of the mask, because he knew the Mod Soul would have to pull it down to eat. The day before, he had waited until after their silent breakfast with just the two of them to put it on, and Ulquiorra wondered at the significance of Nova putting it on now, what it could be that he felt that he needed to hide or protect himself from.

                Nova ladled the stew out of the slow cooker and into separate bowls, one for the Arrancar to have for breakfast, and one larger one to store in the fridge for later. He placed the bowl in cold storage, and retrieved the new package of Hollow meat which Urahara had been religious about leaving out for them. As he began to chop the meat into pieces, Ulquiorra reached again and retrieved a piece of raw meat from the corner of the cutting board. He chewed it thoughtfully, and then closed his eyes, a heavy sigh of satisfaction escaping him. The hairs on the back of Nova’s neck stood up at that sound, and it made his skin tingle in a curious way. He stopped cutting and just watched Ulquiorra, who was enjoying the raw meat more than Nova had ever seen him express himself before. That was not to say much, as far as his facial expressions were concerned, but the proximity of the Arrancar to himself allowed him to sense the reiatsu emanating from the being, and it was undoubtedly tainted with a feral sort of pleasure which Nova had never sensed before in anyone.

                He was a little disconcerted at how it excited him.

                Nova drew a tremulous breath, and wrapped the meat back up. It looked like Ulquiorra was able to handle eating it raw now, even if Nova himself was only questionably able to handle it. He’d have to busy himself in the kitchen while the Arrancar ate his meals from now on he decided, if they were going to cause him to have this strange reaction.

                When Ulquiorra’s eyes lazily opened, he instantly noticed the flush of embarrassment across the bridge of Nova’s nose. Damn, what is it now? he wondered to himself, and reached for his bowl. Nova leaned against the counter, head bowed, trembling, waiting for Ulquiorra to do something, it seemed. The Arrancar’s nostrils flared at the meekness of the other man, pupils dilating as something deep-seated stirred in him, something which he could only identify as a predatory hunger, woken in him by the goodness of the raw meat. He wanted to hunt again, and the prey he wanted was Nova. He was conflicted though, because his logical, thinking brain knew there was no nutritious value to be found in the flesh of the Mod Soul, and he had no wish to harm the young man… But some other, less-familiar part of his instinctual mind, stirred at the sight of the blushing, vulnerable individual before him. Ulquiorra retrieved a spoon, and went to the dining room to mull over the strangeness of this, while Nova tried with only partial success to pull himself together and construct some sort of breakfast for himself.

                When he finally joined Ulquiorra at the table, he knew the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them was felt on both sides. He didn’t understand it, but he took care to keep his distance from Ulquiorra, so as not to brush his elbow while they ate, because he felt sure that would only make things that much worse somehow.

                The Arrancar watched with interest as Nova ate his meal with stiff discomfort. He wasn’t sure what to say. He wanted to ask about the moment of sadness earlier in the bathroom, but somehow, he felt like this was not the right time for that. He also wanted to ask directly about the Mod Soul’s apparent unease, because he thought perhaps it would provide some insight into his own; but that also, seemed like a poor topic of discussion at the moment. So, he let the uncomfortable silence hang between them for a while, until he thought of something completely different to say.

                “I think I will hunt tomorrow or the next day.”

                The look that Nova gave him then, pursed lips and sidelong glare, with a cool intensity that rivaled even that of Tia Hallibel… It made his breath catch in his throat. He had not expected a look like that from Nova. And had not expected it to stir the deep instincts that were troubling him. He swallowed hard, and asked, “Will you accompany me?”

                The Mod Soul’s fingers pressed hard into the edge of the table, and his eyes fluttered closed as he drew a staggering breath, giving a slight nod. He couldn’t understand what had come over him. This feeling was so strange, and so… Nice. It clouded his thoughts, but he wanted more of it, even though he didn’t understand it. He took his unfinished meal to the kitchen and covered the plate, placing it in the refrigerator alongside of the meat, which he could not look at without remembering the response it had brought out in Ulquiorra. He put the slow cooker in the sink and began to wash it, thankful for the distance between himself and the Arrancar at the moment. It helped him to clear his mind a bit.

                He needed to figure out what was going on with him. Was he sick? Maybe he’d picked up some strange Hollow virus from living in such close quarters with the Espada. His mind spun, and he didn’t even realize when Ulquiorra brought his bowl into the kitchen, placing it into the soapy water and pushing Nova out of the way as he began to wash the dish himself. Nova shivered at the controlling action, and meekly stepped back, eyes searching for something to keep his hands busy, and his mind off this strange sensation that was coiling in the pit of his stomach. He spotted the broom, and began to sweep the floors throughout the entire Shoten, not even concerned anymore about where Ulquiorra was at, just knowing that he couldn’t be near him at the moment; it was making him feel insane.

                While he was sweeping the porch, Chad and Orihime came up the front path. Nova breathed a sigh of relief. Chad was someone he could trust, and who understood him in a way few others did. He would have to get some time alone to speak with him about this strange development; maybe the other man could shed some light on the subject.

                “Oh, good morning, Nova!” Orihime sang brightly. It was the weekend, and when they were caught up on their homework, Orihime and Chad often came by the shop to visit everyone there.

                “Good morning,” Nova replied, bowing politely. He had just opened his mouth to warn them of the new house guest, when Ulquiorra stepped out on the porch. The eyes of the two humans widened in shock and fear, and they froze for a moment, unsure of what they were seeing.

                “Good morning,” Ulquiorra said briskly, because he realized something was expected of him, but he wasn’t sure what.

                The humans turned to Nova, who stepped in front of the Arrancar protectively, in case they should decide to try to attack him. “He’s staying with us. He’s not an enemy,” he blurted out, hastily trying to offer some kind of short explanation for the Espada’s presence. The dumbfounded stares of his friends caused him to chuckle. He turned over his shoulder. “Can you go put the kettle on?” Nova asked, and Ulquiorra nodded in compliance.

                The Mod Soul offered a short explanation on the porch, and then invited them inside for some tea to sit down and explain it in more detail. Chad and Orihime were speechless, which made it that much easier for Nova, because his nervousness was making him uncharacteristically talkative. He explained about finding Ulquiorra on the steps, and how with Aizen defeated, he had nowhere to go, but was free to chose his own destiny now. The others listened and Nova winced inwardly as he explained the stipulation that the shop keeper had put on them, for Nova to keep a constant watch on Ulquiorra. It seemed unfair, somehow, Nova felt. It’s not as if Ulquiorra was a child, needing to be monitored at all times. He should be allowed some privacy, if he wished it.

                When he finished, they all glanced at Ulquiorra, who was sitting quietly beside Nova, sipping his own tea. He kept his eyes down, not feeling it was necessary to acknowledge these people any further at the moment.

                “Well, I think it’s great!” Orihime chirped. This caught Ulquiorra’s attention, and he sought her face for an explanation of those strange words. “Everybody deserves a second chance, right?” she reasoned, smiling. “And now you have a chance to find out more about humans!”

                Ulquiorra realized she was referencing the moments before his death, when he had commented that he was just starting to find humans interesting. It was true; he had all the time in the world now to learn more about the subjects of his intense curiosity, although glancing at Nova, he wondered silently if the precise focus of his preoccupation had not shifted a bit in the past few days.

                “Chad was planning to go on a walk with you, so I can sit with Ulquiorra for a while, if that’s ok,” Orihime offered, and Nova considered the proposition very seriously. As long as somebody was watching the Espada, he reasoned, Urahara should be alright with that. And besides; of any of them, Orihime was probably the most well-acquainted with Ulquiorra, from all the time he spent as her caretaker in Hueco Mundo. Nova wondered slightly at what sort of dynamic was there between them, but the woman seemed just fine in his presence, and so Nova nodded in agreement, and followed Chad out of the shop.

                Ulquiorra watched silently as Nova left him. He was shocked at the Mod Soul’s trust in him. The Espada knew that he could easily have snapped the onna’s neck and killed her, and yet the thought hadn’t even seemed to cross Nova’s mind. The onna, he knew, was trusting to a flaw. He expected as much from her, even though he had no intention to harm her. It was as Nova had said on the porch; he was not their enemy. He had no motives now.

                “So, how has your visit in the World of the Living been so far?”

                His emerald eyes fixed on her, and he realized with some displeasure that he would be forced to make small-talk with her until Nova returned. “It has been adequate,” he said, sipping his tea.

                “You look thinner than when I last saw you,” Orihime observed. “Are you well?”

                Ulquiorra had just heard Nova explain most of this to the two of them, but he said, “I am still weakened. I will likely begin to hunt again tomorrow or the next day. I will regain my strength from that.”

                “Oh, that’s right.” She giggled, apparently having had her memory jogged. “So are you getting along well with Nova?”

                Ulquiorra paused at this. What should he say? They were not specifically entangled in discord, but it was certain by this morning’s events that there was something strange going on between the two of them. He weighed his words, selecting them carefully so as not to show too much to the woman, but still, he wanted answers if she was able to provide them. “He is agreeable enough, but has been acting strange this morning.” He figured it was better to focus on concrete observations, instead of the unsure mix of instinct and sensation he was experiencing himself.

                “Oh? How so?”

                Ulquiorra began listing the symptoms. “He seemed displeased when I gave him the answer he required of me, and he put his mask on this morning before breakfast. I believe he was trying to hide something. He is distancing himself from me, and is more silent than usual. His face reddens, and he seemed very uncomfortable at my eating some raw meat this morning.”

                Orihime listened, an amused twinkle in her eye. “I see. And how did that make you feel?”

                Damn. He had been trying to shift the focus off himself, but the onna had cut to the core of the matter. He struggled, trying to find the words to put to the soupy, unfamiliar mess of indistinct sensations. “Uneasy. I did not like it that it was unclear to me, what the thing upsetting him was. I wished to resolve it, but the opportunity has not presented. It is unpleasant, knowing that he is distressed because of something I may have said or done.”

                Orihime chuckled, much to Ulquiorra’s annoyance. He didn’t understand what was humorous in any of what he had said. “And this bothers you so much because you can’t see it,” she stated, a knowing grin on her face.

                “Of course,” he snapped, then realized his irritation was showing and he drew a breath to calm himself. “If you have an understanding of this, I ask that you make it plain to me.”

                She reached out two fingers, and pointed them close to his sternum. “I think you already know the answer. Though you won’t find it if you rip open your chest.” She raised the fingers and touched them between his eyes, in a gesture that gave him a disturbing sense of déjà vu. “Or split open your skull.”

                The weight of her words and their full significance settled on him then as she withdrew her hand, and his eyes grew distant as the realization came. He looked sharply up at her, glaring intensely, but with something that looked for all the world to her like pain and confusion swirling in the depths of those jade eyes. “…Heart?” he asked hesitantly.

                She beamed at him. “You could call it that, yes.”

                He looked away, scorn overtaking his face. “Impossible,” he barked. “I am incapable of such a thing.”

                Orihime leaned in, her voice soft. “You were incapable of regenerating your organs, too, and yet here you are.”

                Ulquiorra’s mind spun in dizzying circles. What she said made no sense, but everything he had come to glimpse of ‘the heart’ during his time with her, and at his moment of death, pointed to that exact explanation.

                “The heart and the mind are irreconcilable,” she offered, seeing his turmoil. “If that’s what you’re really experiencing, you’ll have to set your logic aside, and learn to feel, and to listen to your heart.”

                He pursed his lips, irritated. He hadn’t asked for any of this, just somewhere safe to recover. “This is unexpected, and unwelcomed,” he said, the evenness of his tone returning as he wrested control of himself forcibly away from the uneasy sensations which he was now able to call by their rightful names; feelings and emotions.

                “That’s love for you,” she sighed wistfully with a giggle.

                His sharp glare pierced her. “Love?” The distain in his voice was evident.

                “Well, sure. I did say that ‘heart’ was one thing you could call it. Love is another. But there are different types of love. There’s love between friends, and romantic love, and…”

                Her voice droned senselessly on as his mind shut completely down, and began to chant that one word over and over and over, the incomprehensibility of it growing by the second. Love. Love. Love.

                How could such a thing be feasible? He had no heart. But what she had said was true; he had regenerated his organs, when he wasn’t supposed to have been able to. Maybe it was possible that he was capable of love. But that would mean…

                His eyes widened and he gaped at her. “It cannot…”

                “And why not?” Orihime chuckled, cutting him off. “You two have a lot in common, I’m sure. Don’t be so dead set against it in your mind. What does your heart tell you, when you listen to that?”

                “I do not know how to listen to the heart,” Ulquiorra said. This whole line of conversation was making him very uneasy, and he wished to stop speaking about it immediately.

                Orihime sat back, a somewhat smug smile on her face. “Alright, I won’t push the issue. But when you start to figure it out, don’t fight it. It won’t make any sense to your mind, but that’s how the heart is. And it’ll make you happy, in the end.” She took a sip of her tea. “So, did any of the other Espada survive the war?”

                Ulquiorra sighed, never so relieved to have someone change the subject.

WWWWWWWWWW

                Chad and Nova sat on the edge of the platform that surrounded the water tower, legs dangling down through the railing. It was sort of ‘their place,’ where they went to just sit and watch the world go by together. It was peaceful up there, and they could just enjoy the silent company of one another as they observed the people and cars below like ants.

                “You seem anxious,” Chad said unexpectedly, breaking their unspoken agreement of mutual silence in this place.

                It was true, though; Nova was twitchy and troubled. He nodded, and Chad let the silence press down, gathering weight until it became too unbearable for Nova and he began to blurt out his worries, unsure suddenly if he would ever stop talking. “It’s Ulquiorra. Thing have gotten weird between us. Tense. He makes me feel strange, but I’m not afraid of him. He wouldn’t hurt me, he’s even told me as much, but even he himself said he didn’t know why. I feel like I’m losing my mind, and my stomach is all twisted up. He can see straight into my soul I think sometimes, it’s like he can read my face through my hood. He’s different and exciting, and I want to be around him, but I can’t be near him because since this morning… Something changed. It’s making me crazy. He asked me to go hunting with him, maybe tomorrow, and…” Nova choked, shaking his head. “Just the thought of watching him, so wild and…” He sighed, trying to reign in the quivering that had overtaken his limbs and settled in his chest. “What’s wrong with me, Chad?”

                His companion had been watching him this entire time, very somber. When he was sure Nova was finally done with his excessive outpouring of nervous blathering, Chad spoke. “Has Urahara ever had ‘The Talk’ with you?” Nova’s blank stare was answer enough. Chad sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. “This is the kind of thing that your dad should be telling you about, but you don’t have one. Urahara is the next closest thing, but… I get the feeling that you wouldn’t go to him with this.” Nova looked down and blushed in confirmation of the observation.

                So, they sat up there into the late morning, and Chad explained ‘the birds and the bees’ to Nova, who listened intently. Once they were in the thick of it, Nova was very thankful indeed that it was his trusted friend Chad explaining it all, and not the perverted shop keeper. The conversation was difficult enough, even for the two close friends, especially when Chad had to go into the clarification of “men and women” versus “men and other men,” which Nova noticed he seemed especially embarrassed about for some reason. He kept his interrupting questions to a minimum, and when Chad finally got to the end of his explaining, he gave a heavy sigh. They sat in silence for a while, and Nova let the information sink in.

                “Do you really think I’m falling for him, like that?” Nova finally asked.

                Chad shrugged. “It sounds like it. Time will tell.”

                Nova was nervous of the next question, because of what the answer might be, but he finally gathered the courage to blurt it out, because he had to know the answer. “Do you think he could…” And then he lost his momentum, because the possibility of the answer was just too terrifying.

                “I don’t know,” Chad replied, guessing well enough where he was going with his unfinished query. “Time will tell.”

                They were silent for the rest of their time up there. The wind blew, carrying the scent of the rain from that morning, and Nova closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Ulquiorra, dripping wet in the yard, flickered across his memory, and he gave a wan smile. It was probably hopeless, he realized, to fall like that for an Espada. But there was definitely something about him that set him apart, that made him more interesting than anyone Nova had met to date. The intensity of his sharp green eyes, and the creamy pallor of his alabaster skin… There was something undeniably exotic, even feral, about Ulquiorra, and it made Nova’s heart race.

                But how could a creature with no heart ever feel the same?

WWWWWWWWWW

                Chad and Nova were in no hurry to make it back to the shop. Their quiet stroll back was more of a walking meditation for Nova, and he mulled over the intricacies and complications of the situation. The information which Chad had shared had been intended to enlighten and educate, and instead, had seemed merely to stir up more questions for the befuddled Mod Soul.

                As they finally stepped back onto the path leading up to the Shoten, Nova’s hand caught Chad’s elbow. His friend paused, and gave him a curious look. He waited patiently as he watched Nova struggling for words. “What… what do I do now?” His eyes were pleading.

                Chad gave a slight smirk of sympathetic pity. “You’ll have to figure it out between the two of you,” was all he said before he turned away, walking up the stairs and entering the building.

                Far from the sort of answer Nova was hoping for, he sighed at the vague and unhelpful reply. As he stepped glumly up on the porch, Ulquiorra met him in the doorway. Those intense eyes pinned the Mod Soul, and he squirmed nervously. It bothered him how much he enjoyed that sense of being dominated by this rare and powerful being.

                Truth be told, Ulquiorra found he had developed some perverse sort of gratification from pressing Nova slightly from time to time, and causing him to writhe. The Arrancar realized how illogical this was, and so attributed it to the “Heart,” and this so-called “love” which Orihime had insisted that he was developing toward Nova. While it was true that he was appreciative of the hospitality shown to him by the young man, and he enjoyed his company over that of anyone else he had found to date, he questioned how far, if at all, his feelings went beyond that. Was it really possible that he held something akin to affection toward the Mod Soul? Ulquiorra wasn’t even sure he was capable of such an emotion.

                The Espada looked Nova over. Certainly he was pleasing to the eye, with his slender, sparsely muscled frame, and his porcelain complexion. His pale green eyes and shock of flame-red hair were in comely contrast to one another, and they stirred that predatory instinct again in him. No, not predatory, he thought. This is something different. It is wanting. Could it be… Desire? No sooner had the rogue idea skipped irreverently through his mind, than a particular autonomic response confirmed the idea to him, and he turned away, slightly embarrassed. Ulquiorra was in no way ignorant of things of a sexual nature, but they had never been a part of his reality before now.

                “Welcome back.”

                Nova was shocked by the greeting, and froze in place. He was even more shocked when Ulquiorra cast a backward glance over his left shoulder, and softly confessed, “I missed your company.”

                Nova’s knees weakened, and he laid a hand on one of the porch columns for support. How was that possible? Surely he meant something else by that, than the conclusion that Nova’s mind had jumped to, he reasoned. But the look in those feline eyes conveyed loneliness; the sort which can only be assuaged by a person possessing a deeper, unspoken understanding of one’s soul. There was also the briefest flicker of something more…

                Desire?

                Maybe.

WWWWWWWWWW

                He had been dangerously honest with Nova, Ulquiorra decided. It was unlike him to say such things as he did upon the Mod Soul’s return, but he felt they were true. The onna had been somewhat disconcerting in her observations, touching too closely to things which made him uncomfortable, even if he had truly been seeking answers of that nature from her. Her company, while informative, was no match for the easy comfort he felt around Nova.

                Even with the awkwardness that had arisen between the two of them, Ulquiorra still preferred the silent presence of Nova over that of any of the others.

                Dinner that evening brought its own, unique brand of unease.

                While the others sat around the table, Ulquiorra stood out of sight in the kitchen, ripping into raw flesh with bare teeth. He was well aware of the social impropriety of his obligate carnivorous diet, and he chose to remain where he would be the least disruption to the others enjoying their own meal.

                Poor Nova, however, was driven to utter distraction by the mere knowledge of it, and finally couldn’t manage to pay attention to his own meal. He excused himself and took his plate to the kitchen, intending to package it up for later.

                Ulquiorra looked up sharply at the unexpected intrusion, defensive, as if he’d been caught in the act of something he might be reprimanded for. When he saw it was Nova however, his face softened slightly. He set the meat on a plate, and waited respectfully for Nova to get the remainder of his meal put away and to leave before continuing. He well knew how disturbing his food was to the others, and had no desire to bother anyone with it.

                But instead of heading to the shower like usual, Nova lingered.

                “I would like to finish my meal,” Ulquiorra said, trying to tactfully usher the Mod Soul off without seeming rude. He knew Nova seemed to be the worst affected by watching him eat, and he didn’t wish to upset him.

                Nova bowed his head, but glanced up at Ulquiorra from behind the shaggy red bangs that escaped the opening of his hood. “I’d like to watch,” Nova said softly, “If that’s alright with you.”

                Ulquiorra was shocked, but perversely pleased by the unusual request. “Does it not make you ill to observe?”

                Nova opened his mouth, but then shut it again, shaking his head in the negative. It didn’t sicken him, really; more like thrilled him, in a way he wasn’t really able to explain, or tolerate for long periods of time. But he was saddened by Ulquiorra’s seeming self-imposed shunning, and didn’t want him to feel so isolated while he ate his meal apart from the others.

                Ulquiorra picked the meat back up and bit into it, tearing off a piece with his teeth. He chewed thoughtfully, eyes never leaving Nova’s face all the while. The Mod Soul was enrapt, and Ulquiorra could hear the racing of his pulse with his keen, preternatural hearing, enhanced by his quickly returning powers. Nova had neglected to pull his mask back up over his mouth after his meal, and the Espada watched his lips part slightly as he drew a staggered breath, mesmerized.

                After swallowing his bite, Ulquiorra spoke. “I think that tomorrow, I would very much enjoy attempting to hunt. Will you accompany me?”

                The Espada had expected the response, somehow. The shallow, rapid breathing. The pupils dilating. Nova’s hand scrabbled behind him at the edge of the counter, trying to find something to grab onto, to ground himself. “Uh, yeah,” he said, pulling his mask back up finally, eyes distant. “No problem.” He began to back out of the room. “I’m… Going to go take my shower now.”

                He watched Nova retreat, and smirked to himself as he vanished from sight. He could smell it now, unsure how he could have missed it before; the faint, musky scent of pheromones permeating the room. He knew none of the humans would have noticed it, but even in his Gigai, his heightened abilities sensed these subtle changes on an almost animalistic level. So, Ulquiorra mused, continuing his meal at last. He is attracted to me. Or, at the very least, aroused by me. And at what? Watching me eat raw meat, of all the strange things. What an unusual and intriguing young man he is…

WWWWWWWWWW

                Nova closed the door behind him and slid down against it, finally feeling like he was able to breathe, out from beneath the penetrating gaze of Ulquiorra. He yanked his mask off, and let his head thud dully back against the wood. Damn, but he makes me feel so… He didn’t finish the thought, but realized the front of his pants were straining uncomfortably, and rubbed at the bulge, shivering with the enjoyable sensation. He quickly pulled himself to his feet and undressed, stepping into the warm spray of the shower.

                He tried so hard to turn his mind off as he washed away the day’s sweat and dirt, but it continued to wander back to those green, feline eyes, just as much as his hands wandered body, finding their way finally to something that was distracting enough for a few moments to jolt him out of his musings. With one forearm against the wall to help him keep his balance, he leaned forward and let the steaming water fall over his body as he stroked himself. This was nothing new to him; but before, it had always been simply a pleasurably enjoyable pastime. Never before had someone caused him to become so worked up, he had to go and spend some of his frustration in this way to settle himself.

                He gave quiet little gasps, increasing in intensity as he neared his climax. When he came finally with a soft whimper, green eyes and raven black locks flashed through his mind. Resting his head against his forearm, he gave a heavy sigh.

                What was the Espada doing to him?

WWWWWWWWWW

                When Nova retired to him room that evening, Ulquiorra was already changed into his pajamas, and lying in bed. He cracked an eye, and Nova shut the light off just an instant after the Espada spotted the fact that Nova was wearing his hood to bed again. Ulquiorra smirked slightly in the darkness, sure he knew the reason tonight for the additional garment. He could smell it on him, even through the scent of the soap, and he had sensed the distinct flare of reiatsu that he recognized oh-so-well. Having roomed near such libidinous Espada as Hallibel and Grimmjow however, that telltale sign had usually been far less muffled, and usually accompanied by high volume vocalizations.

                All this over a little meat, Ulquiorra mused as Nova slid silently into the bed alongside of him. Whatever will he do tomorrow, when he has to watch me hunt? The poor fellow is like to come undone… This amused and excited Ulquiorra and he sighed, settling into a light, dozing slumber.

                Nova was distraught. He felt a little embarrassed, knowing that he’d just been secretly pleasuring himself with thoughts of the Espada skipping through his mind, but he still desired further closeness with him. Lying on his back as he was though, there was no possibility of cuddling up to Ulquiorra in a cozy spooning position. And, unlike the previous night, that position might not be as welcomed, Nova knew, as it was not driven by the necessity for remedying the sudden problem of his coldness.

                Nova’s hand felt gently around the mattress between them, searching for the solution, and Ulquiorra was promptly startled out of his drifting off by the sensation of fingers threading into his own.

                The physical feeling itself was not so unusual, but it was more the muddled emotions that stirred up as a result of the action, that Ulquiorra wasn’t quite sure what to do with. His mind skipped back earlier in the day, to his conversation with Orihime. You’ll have to set your logic aside, and learn to feel, and to listen to your heart… Not entirely confident in the task, he nevertheless tried to follow her advice, and ‘listen to his heart.’

                He felt a very irrational part of his self that drew enjoyment from the contact, and decided that must be the ‘heart.’ So, he allowed the touch, because it was enjoyable in a fashion.

                And then, he squeezed the hand in his lightly, because that’s what seemed to be the right thing to do.

WWWWWWWWWW

A/N: Okay, so, if anyone didn’t get this, the two of them were basically going through a super accelerated version of puberty, triggered by each other. Or, maybe more accurately, something more like early signs of ‘coming into season,’ because I do work a lot of Alpha/Beta dynamics with my Arrancar pairings, as anyone who’s ever read any of my HallibelxGrimmjow stuff would know, even though this is a separate AU from what I’ll call my Resolution!’verse.
- 2
- 3
- 4
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Silence Between