Life Before Death

Alright, I've had it revised several times, I guess it can't get any better than this, here you go. ^w^ I hope you like it, and I hope it explains a bit more. And yes, there is more to come after this.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~



Before Ichigo knew of Ulquiorra's childhood, before he knew of his heritage, the boy had died. Ichigo had turned into a demon, and killed the mighty Espada, and then he had come back from the dead, to his friends.

Ulquiorra stood before them, already dead, looking back into the sincerely deep grey eyes of the red headed girl. She smiled at him, it seemed so familiar. The Espada had felt something then that he hadn't felt in countless ages. He reached his hand out towards hers, and he asked her "Do you fear me?"

"No." She said, he couldn't hear Orihime, he heard another voice, but her face, her face completed that voice. And just as she reached her hand out towards his, their fingertips brushed, and his turned to a fine ash, and blew away.

The last thing that Ulquiorra remembered, the very last thing,

"I reject."

After that, not much remained discernable to Ichigo, he remembered voices, pains, screaming and crying. What had happened is Oirhime had quickly and hastily healed Ulquiorra, bringing him out of thin air practically. She could have easily fixed his mask, but she left it, remembering what Nel had told her, about her former Fraccion.

Like this, Ulquiorra wasn't a threat, he was still powerful, but it wouldn't take Ichigo dying and being reborn as a monster to stop him.

She brought the Arrancar back, and then healed Ishida, and last of all, Ichigo.

The shinigami awoke before Ulquiorra, in a cave. Orihime was above him, she was offering him water, which was quite possibly the most refreshing drink of water he could ever remember, as though his body had been a dried up corpse, it sent a soothing chill through his body when he swallowed it and he was able to sit up.

The two of them cried, Ichigo rarely cried at all, but knowing what he had almost done to them, what he had done to Ishida, he couldn't handle it. Orihime reassured him that Ishida was fine, that he forgave Ichigo, and at that point Ichigo noticed the pale motionless body beside him, he stared dumbfounded at it, and as Orihime explained, he pulled himself away from it, holding his chest as though a chunk of him would fall to the floor, and the nightmare would start all over again.


"What happened?" Ulquiorra heard, beside him. His neck was stiff, and every movement echoed loudly in his head. The boy, Kurosaki Ichigo was sitting against the wall, Orihime had gone. Ichigo looked weaker than ever, it was clear that he'd been healed, but the whole ordeal must have drained him, it seemed even the girl's reversal ability couldn't reverse that kind of fatigue such a transformation could put him through.

"How would I know?" His voice was gone. Ulquiorra coughed, shutting his darkened eyes, he too was fatigued from what the hollowed boy had done to him.

"I'm.... sorry that happened."

"So you knew what you did." He asked calmly, the boy nodded. "I thought so, but why didn't you stop?"

"I couldn't..."

"... I see..."

"I'm sorry."

Ulquiorra sighed softly, coughing, "You assume it's something I'm unused to..." the boy looked shocked, but he was not entirely surprised at the response.

Ulquiorra reached his hand over, slipping out from under the sheet, trembling weakly still as it reached for Ichigo's ankle. The moment it touched, he saw Ulquiorra's face, the face with those black streaks running down each cheek, vanishing. The green eyes turned to stone, and his face grew smaller, suddenly the hollows face seemed human, a representational sculpture of a human. The grains of the stone so small, the face looked smooth, and pale, and it was obvious then what it was, with a flowing stone sash draped across the sculpture's naked body, clinging to its curves, moving with stillness. Greek, was he Greek?

Ichigo drew back and saw the sculpture was standing tall, far larger than the quatra espada on the steps of a grand building. It wasn't huge, but it's architecture seemed huge. The columns reaching up, straight, topped with ornamental capitals, much more ornamental than the usual Greek columns.

"You're Greek?" He heard himself ask, then saw several men walk by him, all adorned with varying white chitons hanging off both shoulders, unlike the toga. They were trimmed with three inch trim that ranged from dark purple to deep red, a sign of members high in the senate. Ichigo hadn't known this to begin with, but the knowledge seemed to reveal itself to him. The men had white hair, some of the younger ones had black hair, but most of them had sheer white hair and creases that clung to every curve of their faces.

"Ok, so... where are you? Or am I dreaming? Did I fall asleep?" He wondered.

"Be quiet..." He heard, and shut his mouth, looking on. Clinging to the arm of a rather old looking Senate member, he saw a smiling, long raven haired boy, the same face, pale, but brighter, like he actually lived in the day light. It was him. He was Greek. How old did that make him? He wondered, it was an odd feeling now to know that he was sitting next to a Greek, not just someone who was Greek by blood, but from the grand times of Greece, Greece's highest moment in history. It had a sense of distance, Ichigo almost felt out of place, especially having fought with the hollow, even if it was a hollow, even if he and his actions had harmed so many of his friends. He wouldn't let that stop him from protecting his friends and Karakura town, but still, it made it a much more conscious decision.

The senate member laughed wholly as they made their way down the steps, he stroked the shriveled fingers of his through Ulquiorra's long hair, it looked so much different at this length, and the sun reflected dark red streaks. He followed them in through a pair of white curtains leading into a garden. The pair traveled from there into the old man's quarters, passed there to a large bath. It was clear, with these lodgings, that the man must have been high in the senate, indeed, he guessed this was in Greece's later years, closer to the on coming Roman Senate.

So he wanted to show Ichigo his heritage? Was that it? No, there was more, Ichigo swallowed hard, he knew deep down what was to come, what conversation had brought on this sharing of personal history.

The senator disrobed, he dipped his sagging body into the bath, steam rising and filling the room and all the while Ulquiorra was out of sight. Once the man was settled he saw the hollow, he was wearing a thin sheet, pulled around his shoulders, and just as his feet slipped into the wavering water the sheet fell, billowing on top of the water before sinking ever so slowly. Gleaming white skin, golden but pale, sank down into the water, the raven black head dipping under the surface a moment before emerging again, long black locks clinging to his shoulders and back. Ulquiorra turned from the man, facing Ichigo, and he blushed. He turned away but he felt his head turn, as though being forced, looking at the boy and seeing his young body, now finally, seeing his manhood. Water droplets fell, dripping down his skin one by one, the corners of his mouth turned up, he was smiling, his eyes averted to the side, as though watching the man but not looking directly at him, his head turned to one side. Around the young Greek's neck hung a mass of fine gold strands wrapped four times, they held a black locket in the center of his collar bone, resembling much of what was there now as a hollow.

"This is what I remember, so it's not entirely unknown to me, this lifestyle." Ichigo blushed, he didn't answer, he waited for the memory to stop, but it didn't. the boy reached back, his hands finding the politician's, helping the boy lower himself and his eyes closed softly, his head leaning back and a hand crept around from under his hair, stroking the soft skin of his neck, Ulquiorra's voice echoed gently in the baths and Ichigo wished it to stop, seeing his own eyes darken, feeling his chest begin to hollow. It wouldn't trigger another transformation would it? He thought. Of course not, it was just the memories, but they weren't memories Ichigo wanted, to be honest. He heard another moan and shut his eyes this time. "I can't believe you fucked me, you're too modest, too inexperienced." Ulquiorra scolded the Shinigami.

"Shut up, I couldn't stop myself, I didn't even want to."

"But you enjoyed it right?"

"I... don't remember feeling it, I just remember knowing that it was happening."

"You couldn't... feel it? Well that's not right..." He heard fabric moving, and opened his eyes, the image was gone, thank goodness. Instead Ulquiorra sat up stiffly, he hadn't his clothes so he was draped in a spare shinigami robe, just the outer layer, the black cloth making him look even paler, pale like the statue that greeted Ichigo at the start of the vision.

"What's not right?"

"It was your first time right? You should always remember your first time." It bothered Ichigo that as Ulquiorra said this, his face remained blank, like it always did, it made the statement sound more matter-of-factly, and Ichigo cursed under his breath at it. "We should correct that."

"I'll beat your ass just as I am if you even try it." Ichigo threatened, glaring at him.

"As you are?" that seemed very unlikely to the hollow, but when he tilted his head to one side it felt a little odd, it felt a little off balance to him, lighter on one side. His eyes widened and he reached a hand, still weak and trembling to feel his mask, his fingers rubbing over the large crack running straight up through the middle and the missing horn. "Oh, I see?" His gaze dropped, discouraged. Well, with his mask only half there, he wouldn't be much of a threat at all. "So she saved my life, but she left me like this?" He laughed softly.

"Hey, she showed you mercy! You should be thankful! I was about to kill you."

"After you had fun with my body, not that that's an insult to me at all, really."

"Tch...." Ichigo crossed his arms, averting his eyes out of frustration.

"So am I your new comrade? Is that what you're thinking?"

"No, she just wanted to make sure you'd be alright."

"... alright, I kidnapped her, she wanted to make sure I'm alright...." Ichigo looked at him, answering his question. "Alright...." He said as he understood, then continued to crawl towards the boy.

"I thought we were done with that, knock it off!"

He didn't say anything, Ichigo swung a fist at him but the hollow apparently wasn't to weak to block it. He used the opportunity to topple the shinigami, holding him against the wall while he straddled himself down into Ichigo's lap. Then they were still, for Ichigo it was awkward, it was far too awkward, and he still fought at the tight grasp on his wrist, but it was no use. Ulquiorra watched him, not smiling, not frowning, simply watching his prey.

"I'm not kidding, quit it." Ichigo growled, and as he did so the hollow moved in, his head leaning down beside Ichigo's and he froze, unable to move, not wanting to move, meanwhile he felt the hot breath on his neck and shivered, his breath caught, his chest fluttering, his body feeling for the first time, what it was like.

So close....

"So you're saying, you didn't feel any of this?"

The boy was silent. Uqluiorra moved his hips as he got more comfortable, but at the same time he moved nonetheless and heard the boy gasp softly, he turned to see his eyes shut and sighing to himself, moving again, grinding, his chest flush up against Ichigo's.

"I, don't think I want this..." the boy whispered.

"You don't think?" the hollow inquired, this time he drew his lips over Ichigo's neck and the boy realized just how skilled he was. "What do you think you're getting?" He asked softly, nipping at the soft flushed skin.

"Well... you said.... I should feel my first time... so I..."

"Thought I would sleep with you."

"So you're not going to? Then what are you doing?"

"Helping you feel."

"You're helping me feel? Isn't that a little ironic."

"I guess... but this hole doesn't mean I'm devoid of sensation." He said, taking Ichigo's hand and rubbing it over his own hollows hole, shivering in the boy's lap.

"So we're just..... feeling?"

"I'll hurt you if you don't stop talking... Do you want to feel that?"

The boy was quiet when he felt short nails scarring his chest, reaching into the kimono, opening it more, cold finger tips trailing down his belly, jumping softly as it tickled, just a little.

"Kuro.... Ichigo, are you alright?" Inoue. Ichigo froze, at that point he heard how heavily they were breathing.

"I'm fine...." He said, forcing himself to take a deep breath, sounding calm enough.

"Do you need-"

"I'm tired still, I'm going to sleep for a bit longer... Thanks Inoue..." He closed his eyes and hid his face in Ulquiorra's neck, shivering softly from suddenly having to stop, how cruel, he thought.

"Ok, I'm glad.... We're going look around a bit." And he heard her leave, the footsteps drawing away down the cave entrance, the cave seemed naturally well furnished, having small adjoining rooms here and there, there was a curtain hung over the one that they were in, and quickly enough, the echoing sound of their clothing rubbing together continued as Ulquiorra moved. He was so dominant, it surprised Ichigo, the memories he was shown, the role that Ulquiorra seemed to have chosen.

"Why.... Are you like this?" poor wording. Ulquiorra stopped and Ichigo gasped softly, quickly correcting himself. "I mean... Why... do you act like... you know... you don't seem submissive, but are you?"

"Do you want me to be?"

"No, I mean... right now, you're being..."

"Not shy? I'm used to it, most clients the first time are shy, it takes coaxing to get them in the mood."

"But you are..."

"Bottom? Usually.... Actually.... I don't know if I've ever been anything else." The hollow ceased the boy's dialogue again, biting at his ear, fingers gripping his hips and he let his own breath slip as he felt the bulge in Ichigo's hakama, pressing up against him, his eyes closed. This time Ichigo looked up, seeing Ulquiorra, biting his lip at the sight of Ulquiorra's face. He suddenly felt the hollow against his stomach to the right, reaching down his leg.

At this point Ulquiorra had to suppress a laugh, at the sudden realization that Ulquiorra was hard Ichigo covered his mouth, turning his face away, his other hand lifted up, palm facing outward as if saying Look where my hands are, I'm not doing anything naughty.

Cloth on cloth moved more vigorously, more out of struggle as Ulquiorra tried to seize Ichigo's hand, the boy knew what he was planning, but giving up the hollow arched his back, sitting up on his knees and pressing himself, erection and all against Ichigo's stomach, listening to him bite back a groan, feeling the shinigami's length jump up against his cheeks.

Now the cave room was warm, no part of them was cold and Ulquiorra's hair was beginning to slick against his face, the grinding arch against Ichigo hadn't been once, after the boy had felt it he pushed back in response, suggesting a rhythm, one that Ulquiorra welcomed. And so the two bodies pushed back against each other more eagerly.

Ichigo's hands finally found their way under Ulquiorra's arms, gripping at the black kimono, gripping tightly, pulling so that it slipped down over the hollow's shoulders and he realized finally how beautiful he was, not that it wasn't obvious within the last fifteen minutes or so, but just now, his eyes were either closed or half lidded, his mouth hung slightly, not gaping, but just enough, his head sprinkled with a tiny glaze of sweat which held his raven black hair to his white porcelain skin. The little light in the cave cast a dark shadow down over his neck and shoulders, making the deepened places in his anatomy seem deeper, more malnourished almost, and his shoulders rounded even more so than Inoue's, more than Rukia's, he seemed so feminine suddenly. His voice however, being naturally deep of course, seemed very male, the contrast between that and his feminine appearance was astounding.

At one point Ichigo put the palms of his hands against Ulquiorra who had taken over again, the rhythm speeding up. The hands pushed at him though, stopping him. "Enough..... please..." Ichigo begged. The Arrancar nodded, he remained in Ichigo's lap, but he stopped, gained control of his breathing, both of them hiding their faces in the crook of each other's neck.

Ulquiorra stood up finally, and opened the kimono right in front of Ichigo simply to retie it, adjusting it to look normal once more. The boy had turned, gasping loudly and closing his eyes, one hand in his lap, holding himself down from view while his other hand sat useless, pressed to the floor beside him.

"I'm going to bathe, don't finish yourself in here, they'll smell it, and I don't want to sleep in that smell." He said before turning to leave.

Ichigo growled after him, "And what does that mean?!"

"It simply means I don't want to sleep in a cave that smells like your semen and sweat."

The remark shut Ichigo up, and he cursed under his breath before standing, rubbing himself, or pushing himself down and out of view, but that led to rubbing still, and so he stopped.

Back in the shop, the strawberry haired boy stopped typing. He rubbed his eyes, and then the insides of his thighs, not daring to venture any closer. Recounting the whole ordeal was enough to drive him nuts. With a slumbering hollow beside him, he didn't want to be caught like that. Ichigo sighed and turned off the monitor, moving to lay down.

"You'll turn the other half off, right? It makes odd noises at night." Ulquiorra asked him. He was awake, and he didn't sound groggy, so he'd been awake for a while. Ichigo hesitated, swallowing hard before he turned the screen back on, saving what he had typed up thus far before shutting down his computer, it's screen going blank.

"... night." He said, before laying himself down, wondering if he'd be able to peer into Ulquiorra's visions again. Although as he waited, he himself slipped off. Perhaps another night then.


~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

So, I'm dying to know, was it alright? Did I do well? I was worried about what to post after the first chapter. Is this one alright? You still don't know what time it is, I'll have plenty of detail and clues for you in the next one. >w< It's all centered around one figure, I'm excited about that!