#If I'm not mistaken the name of the prompt in the list is 'Bring Your Yiling Laozu To Work Day' or something to that effect

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

WIP Wednesday

So okay I don't know if this is like...a cool thing to do or not, but there's a fic I claimed from the 2022 kink meme list (I couldn't resist, in large part because Tales From Jianghu Shopping Center was listed by the prompter as one of their inspirations for the prompt) that I'm not sure when I'll actually finish writing but I have started it and I'd like to at least acknowledge that I'm doing it even if the prompter won't see this. But the prompt is something along the lines of anything highly specific and niche (like my strip mall AU lol), and I actually happen to have a growing little stockpile of very very niche knowledge about my chosen professional field, which is ceramics! I specialize in wheel-throwing (though I'm also a...passable hand at plaster mold-making/slip casting and handbuilding, I just don't enjoy them nearly as much) so I've started a little something from Lan Wangji's point of view that's a love letter to throwing ♥

--//--

As is tradition, Lan Wangji works in porcelain.

The Lan family have been respected masters of porcelain for centuries, generations stretching back, back, back nearly to the beginning of the imperial kiln production in Jingdezhen. They once produced the enormous pots that adorned emperors’ palaces – there are (very distant) cousins of his in Jingdezhen who still do so for wealthy patrons.

It’s easy to forget such a background when he enters his personal studio on the other side of the world and flicks on the lights to begin the day’s routines. It’s precisely what he wants – a quiet life like this, simple and unassuming, is much more suited to his desire than the weight of tradition that could otherwise press him and his work down into something he would never want to be.

Not that he deviates very far from tradition anyway, but it’s the principle of the thing. Lan Wangji takes quiet pleasure in simplicity, in function that is beautiful in its hard-won mastery. There are very few non-traditional ways to accomplish this that he’s interested in, but he likes having the option should he want to take it. 

Lan Wangji had learned to throw at his uncle’s knee as soon as it was possible to do so. He has continued to do so since childhood with a single-mindedness that once surprised even his uncle. All he’d ever wanted to do was to sit at the wheel for hours and hours on end, only pausing to warm the water in his bowl with a fresh influx from the kettle and to transfer full wareboards (once he was strong enough) to the drying racks in the corner of his uncle’s studio.

Lan Wangji has always struggled to find the words to convey how integral the motion of the wheel and the smooth slip of clay through his finger and against his palms is to feeling like he fits into his skin properly, but his family seems to understand just the same.

Yesterday, as the sun was westering, Lan Wangji had weighed up a few bags of fresh porcelain. The lumps are waiting for him now, tumbled together under their protective sheets of plastic, ready to be molded and shaped by hands and hypnotic motion. There’s enough of a chill in the studio this time of year that there isn’t any condensation on the plastic when he lifts it, so he folds it away neatly and settles into the easy rhythm of wedging his clay to prepare it for the wheel.

There is, in the middle of the studio, a sturdy butcher’s block workbench. He built it himself right there in the studio, the first piece of furniture that had filled the space even before he’d purchased his Shimpo wheel. It’s very likely too heavy to lift – it’s certainly too big to ever get through the door – but he has no intention of ever leaving this studio to begin another, so it suits his purposes just fine.

Wedging the clay on this sturdy, hip-height table is nearly as meditative a process as all the rest of it. A bit more of a workout than sitting at the wheel, but it’s a good way to warm up in the morning, his muscles well accustomed to the push-turn-push-turn-push-turn of spiral wedging that it’s gone beyond second nature, it simply is. His mind wanders pleasantly as he watches the misshapen lumps of pure porcelain become smooth and rounded beneath his palms. Perhaps he’ll spend the day on bowls. They’re quick and simple, suited to his mood today, and he’ll have plenty of them done by lunch when he already knows his typical solitary routine will be interrupted (and can therefore plan for it so far in advance). 

The sun is up properly by the time Lan Wangji finishes his wedging, and once he’s transferred the first batch of prepared clay to the wheel he pauses to stand in the open doorway and look out over the garden that sits between his studio and his home. The grass and the flowers are glittering fresh and dewy in the sunlight as he rolls his shoulders, stretches out his back in preparation to be seated for long hours.

When he returns, the wheel welcomes him, familiar and comforting. He fills an old bird seed bucket with warm water from the tap and arranges the small mirror at the back of the wheel’s tray to the perfect angle to watch his own hands before he settles in and takes a deep breath, sleeves rolled up and apron cinched comfortably tight around his waist as an unnecessary reminder to keep his back as straight as he can while he works.

The first ball of porcelain hits the perfect bullseye of the wheelhead and Lan Wangji leans in to begin centering, the porcelain buttery soft where it runs under his hands. Porcelain, he knows, is notorious for being difficult to work with, particularly for beginners. This far into his career, it’s simply polite and responsive to each confident press of his palms. He cones it first, hands curled around it to coax it in and up; presses it down again with the flat of his hand, every movement focused on the centerpoint of the wheel gliding silently through magnet-powered rotations. 

Up. 

Down again. 

Up.

Down.

Push.

Press.

Lan Wangji loves every part of the throwing process for what it is, but if he were to have to choose only one, this would be his favorite: the moment he can feel the clay running smoothly, perfectly centered the whole way through and ready to become whatever he will tell it to be, the possibilities – for this moment – endless.

#the untamed fanfic #WIP Wednesday #Lan Wangji #If I'm not mistaken the name of the prompt in the list is 'Bring Your Yiling Laozu To Work Day' or something to that effect #and I do plan on WWX showing up later in a way that's inspired by some of my friends in the studio #who work MUCH more chaotically than I do #(ie one of them currently goes mudlarking and digging for wild clay then brings it all in to chuck it in the kiln just to see what happens) #the other one can't remember anything that they do because they take no notes and treat highly precise chemical processes like they're #still a chef adding a dash of this and a dash of that to whatever's in their mixing bowl #and then there's me with my extensive notes and thoroughly researched glazes and all being like #'.....sometimes I don't mind if my glaze ingredients are a gram or two off' #anyway for anyone who didn't know I'm a ceramicist and it's one of my special interests lol #my profile picture and header images across both my blogs are photos of my current work #oh and the Shimpo wheel?????? IT'S A FUCKIN DREAM #the museum I sometimes teach workshops at borrowed one from a different college than mine in town and it was just #so fuckin NICE. It's DEAD SILENT and smooth as silk #and the pedal stays where you put it so if you're doing something large scale you can stand up to get your arm down in it #without having to balance on one foot or sacrifice speed or anything #it was like heaven #it's also like 4k to buy new so LOL NOPE

[iamwestiec]

Over on twitter awhile back, I played a little game and we generated a whole bunch of cute fic prompts that I would like to yeet unto the universe. Mostly MDZS/CQL with a few extras:

Chengyi or Mingcheng: 101 dalmations style meeting, dogs all tangled, coffee flying everywhere, etc.

Songxuexiao: Songxiao orders food, and it gets delivered to their neighbor, Xue Yang, who just straight up eats it. The next time it happens, there's a note with the delivery that says, "We ordered enough for three this time; bring it over if you want dessert too."

Lan Xichen/Wen Qing: Wen Qing backs into Lan Xichen after a long shift at the hospital and *insists* on seeing to his injuries. (One (1) small abrasion on his palm where he caught himself.)

Juniors: Trapped in an elevator! Jingyi and Jin Ling argue right up until they notice Sizhui is quietly having a panic attack. They band together to help him stay calm & distracted, and Ouyang Zizhen declares them all lifelong friends after they get out. (He's right.)

Xicheng: Meeting at a kink event. Yes, they're brother-in-law-in-laws. No, they were NOT expecting to see each other here.

ALTERNATIVELY — Xuanli: kink event meeting w/ bonus arranged marriage & identity porn

Jiang Cheng/Wen Ning: Wen Ning is the ER nurse on duty when Jiang Cheng comes in with a dildo stuck in him. JC attemps a, "Usually I make a guy buy me dinner before I let him finger me," joke, and WN is concentrating too much not to say, "Oh, for you, I'd cook."

Nielan: Grabbing the last [item] at the supermarket at the same time. They commandeer one of the free sample tables to arm wrestle for it, and it's a stalemate until LXC says, "y'know, you could come over and we share it," which startles NMJ enough for him to get the win.

Chengyao: It's not *that* much of a hassle to drop Apt. 625's mail on their doormat on his way back to Apt. 652, but if Jiang Cheng had known how cute Yao-Meng-or-Meng-Yao (damn mailing lists, always reversing the names) was, he definitely would've knocked sooner.

Chengqing: A keeps meeting hot neighbor B looking super disheveled, or: 5 Times Wen Qing is a Hot Mess in Front of Fashion Cheekbones Dude + 1 Time Jiang Cheng Looks Like He Lost a Fight With an Art Store. "The fuck happened to you?" was NOT what she meant to say first. (The answer is "nephew's birthday party.")

Nie Mingjue/Jiang Yanli: sitting next to each other on the plane and “oh no im so sorry i keep grabbing your hand and cutting off the blood circulation its just im so scared of flying” – NMJ is the nervous flyer, and JYL is very kind about it (his hands are... so big 👀)

Jingyi/Sizhui: Jingyi fixing his hair in a window's reflection only to see Sizhui smiling at him through the glass

Jin Zixuan/Nie Mingjue: Jin Zixuan thinks that someone is stalking him every morning, because they leave the apt bldg at the same time, walk the same direction, enter the same office bldg. Confronts them angrily, yelling about "i'm going to call the cops!" but its extremely amused company CEO Nie Mingjue.

Nie Huaisang/Lan Wangji: NHS runs into his ex with their new partner at the bar, turns to Lan Wangji, a complete stranger, and pretends to also be in a happy relationship. I enjoy LWJ's deadpan against NHS's dramatics. Maybe with JC as the ex?

Xiyao: businesses major Meng Yao, who has a very particular study routine, being table-sniped at the library by art student Lan Xichen, who really likes the light here. "We can share, can't we? I'll be quiet." He's not. He hums. A-Yao is *charmed.*

Wangxian: kink masquerade mistaken identity meet-cute! This is a Lan brothers mix-up: Wei Ying is new, and NHS points him towards a good sub for beginner tops. He got the wrong tall hot Lan in the silver mask, but it's okay bc turns out what he /really/ enjoys is being an absolute brat for someone who stays one step ahead of him.

Alternatively, SHL - Cao Weining/Gu Xiang: Cao Weining not realizing that the Amethyst Fiend is that mouthy girl at the martial arts studio he goes to he's been too nervous to talk to.

Wangningxian OR 3zun: "I'm so sorry about the water damage I was overworked and passed out in the shower." It's horrifying how many MDZS characters this could be tbh...

WWX or JGY as the shower sleeper

WN or NMJ as the building super

LWJ or LXC as the downstairs neighbor who calls when his roof starts dripping

NEW TROPE: an "eat cute," aka bonding over food. I would like one each for:

Leverage: the OT3

SHL/WoH: wenzhou after ZZH gets his tastebuds back

MDZS/CQL: someone cooking for Jiang Yanli

#fic prompts #i just realized I never published this #westie writes #or doesn't write in this case #you write! if you like :)

[multiverseofimagines]

Ok Lynnie! Here we go! *rubs hand together* can I request something with Kylo Ren using “She found me just in time.” from the Hozier prompt list? I was just listening to him so I'm like YES lol. Maybe something about how Kylo and the reader met? But, of course, I will love anything you write❤❤

Yes of course love! I’m a whore for Hozier, plus Jackie and Wilson is literally how I would view Kylo with a lover, so here you go. This is also based around the time Kylo was training with Luke, so, in some parts He will be known as Ben. Mention of Trauma.

Being a Jedi was never something you had yearned for, in fact it had been your parents who had shipped you off to Luke Skywalker. It wasn’t something you had been particularly excited about, you wanted nothing more than to go back home to your regular life. It had been the first day, the first day is when you were graced with Kylo’s presence, at the time he was only known as Ben to you, Skywalker’s nephew and apprentice. You stood among Skywalker’s other students, facing Luke and Ben. Your eyes shifted, tempting to look upon the young Skywalker’s face, you could feel something within him. A similar feeling you had felt, a bubbling anger and immense sadness. You wondered why, you wanted to use your powers to search deep into his mind, you were curious, perhaps taken a back by this invisible connection you had to him through suffering. As you thought about the subject deeper, his attention had turned to you, his eyes not leaving yours, his stare was enough for you to halt the thoughts, turning your attention back to Luke. 

That night you had finally been settled into your hut, which consisted of the thinnest bedding  in the entire Galaxy, and one single blanket. You were so frustrated, heartbroken that your own parents would ship you off, to turn you into some glorified weapon, a glorified weapon that slept on the floor. You scoffed, standing up from the floor to take a walk around the temple,  hoping it would clear your thoughts. You had walked farther past the temple, discovering a dark wooded area, before running into him, Ben. He was kicking the soil beneath his feet, staring upon the ground. The minute you had seen him, you took it upon yourself to hide behind a near by tree, watching him. You could feel him, and almost as if you were connected, he could feel you as well, lifting his head to face the forest around him,  in which you hid. You held your breath, not wanting him to figure you out, you had been mistaken to think it would help in any way, because it didn’t, he was somehow connected to you, as crazy as it had seemed he knew exactly where you had been, he knew your thoughts, your feelings, everything, and you knew his. 

“ I sense your anger.” He spoke loudly into the darkness, his words being directed towards you. Your heart felt as if it was going to pound out of its chest, you were almost sure that he could hear it. You stayed silent. He walked towards you, slowly. “ I feel it too. The same anger.” He admitted, his footsteps becoming clearer as he moved closer to the tree you had hidden behind. You closed your eyes, he was close enough that you could hear his breathing. “ Why is the force connecting us? Your presence, it’s strong, as if you are somehow within me.”  Your eyes shot open at his confession, he had felt it too. This urged you to turn to him, to look within his eyes. You slowly turned yourself around, still half hidden by the tree. You held onto the bark with your life, as if it would save you from the encounter. Ben’s eyes settled on you as he took his last step towards the tree. Though his thoughts of the hidden secrets within your mind vanished, instead it was plagued with how you looked under the moonlight. “ You-” He began, almost taken a back from an overwhelming feeling within him, perhaps lust, “ look divine in the moonlight.” You felt yourself blush at his words, as he stood at a stillness, looking at you. You took it upon yourself to move slowly from behind the tree, “ Your name- it’s Ben, right?” You could feel it, when you had said his name, it made him angry, as if you had sliced his heart open into two halves. It was something he didn’t like, “ That name,” You whispered, you looked upon his sad face, “ It brings you pain. Why?” His eyes look anywhere but you.

 You want to dig deeper, but this feeling that radiates is important, soaked in thick trauma, something that is meant to be spoken, unlocked through trust, not taken without permission. It takes him a moment to decide the fate of the situation, He feels like he can trust you, he opens his mind, with the force he tells you it’s okay to dig deeper, you step closer to him, raising your hand, shakily, almost instinctively, as if an alternate source guided your hand to rest softly upon his cheek. Your eyes shut, and you are taken back to thousands of flashbacks, moments in time. It last’s a few seconds, but within them, you feel as if you are there, seeing the events first hand. You are so overwhelmed when you are done, your eyes shoot open, you breathe heavily, and collapse. Luckily his arms snake around you, holding you close as he slowly sits with you. You are hyperventilating and sobbing within his arms. He holds you close to him, not letting go. And in that moment he knew you were there for a reason, the force had linked your destinies, leading you both to find one another in the darkness. Leading to the fall of Ben Solo, a name haunted with fear and hurt, and the rise of Kylo Ren, a name that withholds the willpower to grow, killing the past, and leading towards his future, with you.

#kylo ren x reader #kylo ren imagine #kylo ren #adam driver #adam driver x reader #adam driver imagine #Star Wars Fic #star wars imagine #star wars imagines

[shi-daisy]

Black Moon Rising Pt. 2

Welcome back everyone! Here's part 2 of this lil' AU fic. It was gonna be longer but I already went pass the deadline for like 40 min. So I'll just continue it in the final prompt it the week. Hope you like!

@ulquihimeweek

Ulquihime Week- Day 6- Sacrifice/Possession

Black Moon Rising (Pt.2)

"Inoue, what have you done?!" Ichigo asked in disbelief.

"I did what I had to. Ulquiorra was going to die, and I saved him. That's all that matters."

"All that matters?! Have you looked at yourself?! You're a hollow now!"

"And so were you."

Ichigo looked hurt, but she didn't care. Back at Karakura, she had the same expression whenever they pushed her out of the fight. This time the tables were turned.

"That's not the same, and you know it."

"Is it now? Because if I recall correctly you brutalized Ulquiorra in ways far more horrifying than any of us could imagine, you tried to desecrate his body, you stabbed Ishida-kun when he stopped you, and you were about to kill me before Ulquiorra broke your mask and redirected the cero onto himself.

That's quite different from holding a conversation like we are doing now." She smiled venomously. This change seemed to be bringing out all of the negative emotions that she kept hidden for years. It was relishing.

"I went into that form to protect you! You called for help, I couldn't do anything so my hollow took over."

Orihime rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, you're everyone's hero!" she sarcastically imitated her old self. "Spare me Ichigo, you didn't go into your hollow form to protect us, you did it because you lost, and you can't endure a loss!"

That got a rise out of the redhead, Uryu held him back. "Inoue, we all came here to save you! What happened wasn't ideal, but Kurosaki was just trying to help."

"Funny how you defend him after almost getting cut open, Ishida-kun.

I didn't ask anyone to come for me, the sole reason I came to Hueco Mundo was to protect everyone! But you couldn't understand that, could you? Inoue's the defenseless princess in the tower, so she must be rescued! We need to step into enemy territory without a plan, and fight everything in a ten-mile radius to save Inoue!

Well, that's done. We've all had our fights and your brushes with death, but I am finally safe. I won't return to Karakura, this form is now permanent, and I have no doubts that the shinigami will have me executed. The Orihime Inoue you knew is gone forever. Leave, tell the others I am dead, and don't return to Hueco Mundo. I won't ask nicely again."

Ichigo's anger was redirected at Ulquiorra. "You! You did this to Inoue!"

"I'm afraid you're mistaken Kurosaki. This transformation was the woman's choice, not mine. Unlike you, I believe she's wise enough to choose what's best for herself."

The shinigami prepared to attack him, but instead of clashing his blade with Ulquiorra's he was stopped by Orihime.

Upon transforming, she'd also gained a zanpakuto, her Rikka's powers had been transferred into it, and the shape of the hilt matched that of her hairpins.

“Don’t you dare touch him!” she growled.

“I’m not going to let darkness take you, Orihime. I’ll defeat whatever took possession of you and we’ll all go back home together.”

“You don’t get to decide for me. Not anymore.” From the moment she woke up, Orihime felt a shift taking place within her. Her body and soul had both changed, and this final disregard for her desires was the final nail in the coffin.’ All anyone ever saw me as was the damsel in distress, not even capable of choosing my own fate. Those days are now over.’

“Woman, do you require my assistance?”Ulquiorra asked her.

She smiled at him. “I shall fight alone, If it’s not too much trouble, could you please take Ishida-kun somewhere safe? I don’t intend to hold back.”

“Understood.”

She teleported both herself and Ichigo away from the scene. The shinigami looked ready to fight, but the moment she attacked he restored to blocking. Ichigo didn’t attack her.

‘The moron still thinks I can’t fight.’

Her eyes darkened, now gold over onyx, Orihime charged a cero into her sword. One strike of her blade all it took to break Ichigo’s zanpakuto.

“You’re out of weapons Kurosaki. I’ll let you go if you swear to leave me be.”

Instead of retreating Ichigo stood his ground. “I won’t leave you.I swore to bring you back home safe, and that’s what I’ll do!"

“You really can’t take a fucking hint, can you?!"

She raised her palm towards him, firing a golden cero. Ichigo tried to evade it, but without his Bankai, he was not fast enough. Ichigo kneeled, half of his body was bloody and mangled due to the blast, but he could survive those injuries.

“Last warning. Surrender or I will detach your head from your body.”

“I won’t! I won’t let Ulquiorra get away with what he did to you! I will save you even if I have to kill him again!"

Orihime would have just rendered him unconscious, had it not been for the threat he made against Ulquiorra, Orihime looked him in the eye directly, her gaze was steel and it seemed like in his final moments Ichigo finally understood she did this out of her own accord. Sadly, it was too late, A delicate strike of her blade cut through him, his eyes remained opened, full of realization, but also lifeless.

Orihime cleaned the blood off her sword with one stroke. ‘At long last, It’s over.’

***

There were many outcomes he had expected from the battle, seeing Orihime return to las Noches with the head of Kurosaki Ichigo was not one of them. Soon after arriving she had fainted and he took her to his room and had one of the medics look at her.

As predicted, Orihime woke up a day later. Her wounds were fully healed, and she was happy to see him as well. 

“What happened after the battle?” she asked.

"Lord Aizen has won. He's the new Soul King, but I'm afraid your old town has been destroyed."

She looked sad, but didn't weep. "I see."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. This was bound to happen."

"If you feel rested enough, we were summoned to the throne room. It's urgent."

"Okay. Let's go."

The walk to the throne room was silent, yet pleasant. Orihime held his hand, and he returned the gesture. It seemed she was fond of the gesture.

Before coming into the throne room he ran into the medic that examined Orihime.

"Hello Cuarta, I see Inoue-sama is healthy." The blue haired woman extended her hand to Orihime. "Nice to meet you, my name's Jeanne Dae, I was your medic."

"Nice to meet you too, Jeanne-san. Thanks for taking care of me."

"My pleasure, I must warn you both, Lady Anna has asked for you specifically and she's slightly stressed. Best not to piss her off."

"Um, I hate to come of as ignorant but who is Anna?"

"Lord Aizen's wife. She's his second in command now and also Soul Queen. Just be polite and you'll be fine. Best of luck!"

Once the medic Arrancar left, they stepped into the throne room. He was surprised to see Halibel and her fracción there resting. Nnoitra was also there talking to Anna. She looked to be angry.

"Nnoitra, I swear, if keep pestering me I shall rip out your remaining eyeball and make you eat it!"

That made the whole room grow silent.

Orihime was slightly intimidated. Anna was six feet tall, with pale skin, black curly hair, and cold blue eyes. Those worries subsided when the woman spotted both her and Ulquiorra.

"Cuarta! You're still as handsome as ever! And you must be Orihime Inoue. I'm Anna María, it's nice to finally meet ya."

"Hello Lady Anna, it's nice to meet you too."

"I'll be quick since I'm sure you both want to rest. Now that Sosuke has finally achieved his goals we won't be returning to Las Noches. I want the both of you to rule over Hueco Mundo."

They were both surprised. Ulquiorra spoke first. "With all due respect, why would you chose us out of the remaining Arrancar?"

"Simple. You and Inoue-san were the ones who finally took down Kurosaki. He was Soul Society's triumph card and I'm certain that if he had lived the outcome of our plans would've changed. The two of you are the most powerful among our ranks and took down our greatest foe. It's only natural to have you take over. What do you say?"

Orihime felt a little uncertain, she had never taken a leadership role before, but the offer was tempting.

Ulquiorra was indifferent to the offer, still he would accept if only to keep order in Las Noches. Without Aizen some of the Arrancar might go unhinged again.

"I'm willing to accept the offer, but I'd like insurance that you, or Lord Aizen will provide us with assistance if necessary."

"You have my word, Cuarta. Inoue-san, what about you?"

"I never considered myself a leader, yet this is an opportunity I don't want to waste. I'll give it my all."

"Excellent! I knew I could count on you both. Now, there's a slightly more personal matter I must address.

Some of your friends for Karakura survived, I can relocate then to Naruki City and give them fake memories of a nuclear explosion occuring in Karakura. This way they'll safe and fully taken care of. Is that alright."

Anna handed her a tablet with pictures. She recognized Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chizuru, Michiru, Ryuuken, and Don Kannonji. Those were the only survivors.

"Yes. Please make sure they're taken care of, just...don't let them know I am alive. I'd prefer it if they all thought of me as dead."

"Consider it done. Finally, Yasutora Sado and Uryu Ishida are locked up in the dungeons, if you authorize it, I shall free them and get them the aforementioned services in Naruki City."

"Yes please do so."

"Alrighty then, I think that's everything. I'll be returning to my other duties, you're dismissed."

With that the tall woman left them and went back to her duties. Ulquiorra noticed she was holding her zanpakuto. 'No doubt she's been ordered to carry out executions.'

"Next on the list it's that Kuchiki Captain...Hmm maybe I'll choke him with that dumb scarf of his." Anna was walking away towards the cells. A reckless idea crossed Orihime's mind.

"Wait Anna-san! May I be granted permission to visit Ishida and Sado?"

Anna was skeptical but allowed it anyway. "Yes, of course. I'll escort you."

***

Ulquiorra waited in the entrance to the dungeons. He knew Inoue was capable of handling herself yet he felt uneasy.

"You're jealous the princesa wants to visit those other men."

Grimmjow appeared from the shadows, it seemed Anna had him as a guard.

"What do you want Sexta?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just heard you and Orihime are the new rulers of Hueco Mundo. I'd congratulate ya but I don't think you find that new role appealing."

"That's unimportant. I took the task because it clear that the others wouldn't be able to properly carry it out."

Grimmjow grinned. "Uh-huh, and what about your mate? She probably did it so that Anna wouldn't chop her human friends to pieces."

Those words bothered him. "The woman isn't my mate."

"She turned into a hollow to save ya, and even ripped Kurosaki to pieces. That screams protective mate to me.

Yer' right though, it's not my business what you two do. Just pray she doesn't change her mind. The girl is too far gone to go back."

***

Orihime let them rage and yell before saying a single thing. After their anger faded she spoke.

"I need you both to stay calm. Ishida-kun your father is alive and will be given proper housing and employment in Naruki City as will most of your friends and as will you. Just let Anna escort you there and do not tell the others of my real fate. For all they know, Kurosaki and I were victims of the fake accident."

"...I don't believe this! You expect us to keep quiet?! Tatsuki was a wreck over losing you, she won't accept it, she'll know it's a lie!"

"Then make her believe it! You're a smart guy Uryu, she will listen to you, the memories are better than..."

"Than knowing what you turned into and what you did to Kurosaki?" Chad asked.

Orihime hit the wall in frustration, it almost fell apart. "He threatened to kill Ulquiorra!" she yelled. "I wasn't going to kill him, I was going to leave him slightly messed up and let him go home when the war ended, but he threatened Ulquiorra. I couldn't let him kill him again. I just... couldn't."

Her friends demeanor changed to a more sympathetic one. "You love him, don't you?"

She couldn't answer. That possibility didn't cross her mind until now. Her silence was all the answer they needed.

"Kurosaki is doing alright. His soul went to the Soul Society and is reunited with his family, Anna made sure of it. She also brought Masaki to them, the Kurosaki's be living in the Shiba house."

"It's true. She came to tell us that before bringing you here."

"I see." In a way she felt freed. While there was no guilt for what she did, knowing Ichigo was well off somehow helped her close that cycle.

"I know you won't forgive me, I won't ask for that, but I will ask you, to have a good life. Take care of the others, follow your dreams and live long and happy. I will do the same, even if we are in separate world's. Just do that in the memory of the Inoue you once loved."

"I promise."

"I promise too"

Both Chad and Uryu gave her a tight hug. This would be the last time they saw eachother.

"Goodbye."

***

He didn't say anything. Not on their way back to the room, and not when he locked himself in the washroom.

Orihime knew something was amiss. Ulquiorra looked tense, angry even. She decided to speak with him.

'What am I doing? This isn't right. I'm acting just like Kurosaki did.'

Ulquiorra had ran himself a hot bath in an effort to calm down. As much as he dreaded to admit it he was enraged by Grimmjow's words. When Orihime returned from her talk with the humans, she had tears running down her face and a faint sad smile.

'She's regretting it. She regrets giving up her life for me. That was a sacrifice that should've never taken place.'

Still, it was wrong of him to act so cold towards her. Instead he should offer her solace. 'I'm all she had left.'

Before he could get out of the marble pool and go back into his room, he saw her standing in the doorway. "Can I join you?" she asked shyly.

Ulquiorra swallowed hard. Orihime had nothing but a towel on, and her pretty face was adorned with a faint pink blush.

"Yes, you may join me." He finally answered with a raspy voice.

He turned away as she uncovered herself, only facing her once she was covered up to her chest by water. Even so, her curves didn't leave anything to the imagination.

"Ulquiorra. We need to talk."

"What do you wish to talk about?"

"What happened down at the dungeons."

He braced himself, and spoke as calmly as possible. "You wish to return to you original form. It's understandable as your sacrifice shouldn't have happened so I shall do what's in my power to help you-"

Orihime placed her fingers on his lips, silencing him. It was then when he felt tears forming in his eyes

Orihime chuckled. "No, you're mistaken. I don't want to go back and I don't regret what I did.

Ulquiorra, I didn't hesitate to sacrifice my humanity for you. I knew what the consequences would be and didn't care. You matter more to me than anything or anyone else, and I don't ever want you to doubt that. I want to be with you forever, Ulquiorra Schiffer."

He felt the tears spilling. Never in his life did he think he could find anyone that would truly love him, yet here she was. From the moment they met he felt drawn. It was as if an otherworldly force took possession of him, and urged him to keep her at his side. Yet when Kurosaki almost killed her, he didn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for her. Now she had done the same for him, and they could be together for all eternity.

"Forgive me for my embarrassing behavior. I shouldn't have doubted you.

I shall confess that I didn't care for much before meeting you, my life was nothing but a dark endless void, until you filled it with light. Your optimistic nature, your melodic voice, your bravery, it is all very enticing. I thought our story would end when Kurosaki turned me into ash, yet it didn't.

You wouldn't let us have a bitter end, regardless of the cost. And I vow to prove your sacrifice to be worth it, every single day."

Orihime smiled wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "It's a promise, my dear Ulquiorra."

She crashed their lips together into a lustful kiss. Ulquiorra had never considered himself to be a lustful man, until that moment. He wanted nothing more than to ravish Orihime until they were both exhausted.

"Let's go back to our room, darling. There's a lot I want to do with you."

#uhweek2019 #orihime x ulquiorra #ulquiorra schiffer #orihime inoue #Dark! Roads AU