[01/15/14] Chapter revised and updated.

Note: Onna, pronounced oh-na, means 'woman' in Japanese.

Planning

Orihime glanced up from the brochure in her hands at Ulquiorra who was quietly glaring at his food. She still couldn't believe that her once captor had become her live-in houseguest. Everything that'd happened over the past few weeks felt a chaotic blur, and being back home made all the events seem nothing but a horrible nightmare.

Aizen was captured, the majority of his army diminished, the once Arrancar sitting across from her one of the remaining survivors. She still couldn't believe that he was alive and here, and too often she caught herself staring as if at a ghost.

In an act of unwarranted good grace, Urahara had provided a permanent Gigai for Ulquiorra upon their return to the human world. Orihime was surprised that Ulquiorra had even accepted her offer to return with her, though she supposed he really had nowhere else to go.

And human he would become, whether he liked it or not, because the Gigai Urahara happened to outfit for the ex-Arrancar just happened to be the type that drained spirit energy. It was only a matter of time before he'd struggle with menial everyday tasks like everyone else.

Today was day three in what Orihime liked to call the 'Ulquiorra Becomes a Real Boy' chronicles, and today's challenge was convincing him to eat.

Talk about role reversal, she thought to herself amusedly.

With discretion she observed as he picked up his fork and suspiciously prodded the pile of food before him. It was strangely thrilling having a front row seat to Ulquiorra's adaptation to human life. Possibly the most fun she'd had in a while. It was like teaching a puppy new tricks.

With baited breath she watched as he lifted a speared piece of chocolate-mustard-glazed chicken to his lips. Sensing her gaze, his large green eyes left his plate to meet hers, his hand pausing.

Orihime sighed, setting down the brochure. "It doesn't taste good?"

"I believe I requested you not to watch," he responded, placing his fork back onto his full plate.

She couldn't believe how touchy Ulquiorra was. Now that he was the one under constant surveillance, he didn't like it. "I wasn't watching," Orihime denied, feeling slightly tense and embarrassed.

"I saw you. Do not lie to me, onna."

Taking the brochure, Orihime hid behind it, casually masking the awkward flush on her cheeks.

She read over it for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. Advertised in large yellow block letters was the opportunity to go on a two-week cruise to Hawaii. Normally Orihime would never spend money on such an extravagant vacation, but after her draining stay at Las Noches she felt she was due a little break.

She eyed the phone number listed on the back of the brochure and then Ulquiorra, who was chewing his food quietly.

Her mouth popped open and just as quickly closed, her responsible inner voice chastising the impulsive part of her brain for even considering a vacation right now.

She couldn't simply leave Ulquiorra here by himself. It wasn't that he couldn't manage on his own, because he was perfectly capable. It was other people she was nervous about, nervous for, she should say. He had his own special way of dealing with others that didn't exactly mesh well with the human realm. It could cause a lot of trouble now that she felt liable for his actions since it was she who insisted he return to begin with.

But she couldn't take him with her.

Well…

Maybe.

She peeked up at him, pleased that for once he looked quite relaxed; hopefully a sign that it was growing easier for him to be here.

Despite his withdrawn and often frigid demeanor, Ulquiorra wasn't so bad to be around. He still had a regrettable penchant for being domineering in almost all situations, but she never sensed any hostility. Her friends would probably be glad to know that she actually found living with him quite easy, aside from the occasional stiff conversation.

Perhaps going on a little vacation with him wouldn't be such a terrible idea. It'd give her the chance to feel out this delicate companionship developing between them. Maybe they'd even end up becoming friends.

The thought brightened her mood and she held the brochure up for him to see. His emerald eyes stared at it, face expressionless as ever. "What is a 'cruise'?"

Orihime smiled and set down the pamphlet. "It's a type of vacation where you sail across the ocean on a luxurious ship to an island with white sand beaches and lots of sun. It's fun." Her eyes sparkled dreamily. "People go on them when they want to relax."

Ulquiorra's signature frown deepened. "That sounds unpleasant."

Biting down on her lip, Orihime disguised a disappointed pout. "I promise it isn't. You can swim and eat lots of delicious food and play games and sightsee and…" She trailed off, realizing Ulquiorra likely had zero interest in any of those activities.

Quiet apprehension prompted her to lower her eyes to the table. "I was actually wondering if you'd like to go?"

"No." He answered with cool conclusiveness, jade eyes gauging her reaction.

That was no surprise.

However, while she couldn't say she knew very much about him, she'd learned enough to know that he was very curious. It was all a matter of sparking his interest. "Hawaii is apparently very beautiful. It's not only beaches. There's lots to see, like…"

His gaze moved back to his plate, disinterest palpable.

"…volcanoes and stuff." It wasn't working. It was difficult trying to sell an island getaway to a guy whose main interest seemed to be staring at things, and not much else. A lost cause, indeed. She sighed, flicking the brochure away dispiritedly. "Never mind."

Ulquiorra watched as she moved to clean up the mess she'd made of the kitchen, her movements lacking the usual liveliness he'd become used to since their return to her home. Being no expert on human response, but having observed her long enough to detect a change in mood, he'd venture to guess that she was currently disappointed.

Long white fingers brushed across the glossy photo of the cruise liner.

Humans were such peculiar creatures. To think that she'd willingly confine herself to a ship for any number of days with no way of escape when she'd only just been released from her prison in Las Noches. Unless he'd missed something, the woman hadn't seemed very keen on imprisonment. And now she was prepared to pay for it. If her readiness to forgive his transgressions and treat him as one of her friends hadn't already ascertained her eccentricity, then this most definitely did.

"Why not invite your friends?"

The deep baritone of his voice broke the tense silence like a crash of thunder in the middle of the night, and Orihime dropped the fork she was cleaning. She glanced over her shoulder, intrigued that he was continuing a discussion she'd thought was decided. "Well Tatsuki wouldn't be interested, and I think Kuchiki-san is visiting her brother. And it would be strange to invite Sado-kun or Ishida-kun, because they're both boys, and—"

"I am also male. Perhaps you have failed to notice?"

Orihime blushed at her slipup, returning her attention to the dishes. "Oh, well, that's true. I just meant, um…" Honestly, every time she spoke she felt like she was outdoing herself in stupidity. She wasn't nearly this tongue-tied around him in Las Noches.

Ulquiorra noticed. "I see you've changed your mind."

"I haven't," she denied readily. Drying her hands, she reclaimed her seat at the table. "You're already staying with me, so it shouldn't be much different," she explained, meeting his eyes. "But if you don't want to go, it's okay. I can go some other time."

She was looking at him with such anticipation that he found himself uncomfortable. According to human principles it could be said that he was indebted to her. He did not feel regret for the fact, but he did respectfully recognize the hardship he'd caused her. Agreeing to this trip would at least demonstrate that he acknowledged the kindness she displayed when she invited him into her home.

If he thought of it as a form of justified retribution for having held her captive himself, then the decision was easy. "Fine."

A brilliant smile spread across her face and the discomfort Ulquiorra had been feeling increased tenfold, and he moved his gaze to the window to distract himself. He'd not yet grown used to seeing her happy. It was a side of her that had not been present inside the oppressive walls of Las Noches.

A moment later Orihime had left her place at the kitchen table to grab her phone, blood pushed through her veins by a rush of adrenaline. Brochure in hand, she flipped it over and proceeded to dial the number on the back. She waited as the phone began to ring.

"Aloha Cruise Lines, how may I help you?"

"Hi, um, I would like to book the cruise for Hawaii that leaves this weekend, please," Orihime requested sweetly, twisting the phone's cord around her finger and turning her back on her vigilant houseguest.

Really, the next lesson would be in behavior and how unconcealed staring just wasn't socially acceptable.

"And how many will be going?" The travel advisor asked cheerfully.

"Two," Orihime answered, glancing at Ulquiorra's vacant face. She flashed a smile and turned back towards the window.

"Oh, of course. Silly me," the woman commented, laughing to herself.

Through the phone's earpiece Orihime could hear the soft clacking of a keyboard over the soft tune of a ukulele. Hopefully this wouldn't turn out to be too expensive. She had some extra funds she'd managed to save up from odd jobs and numerous birthday cards, and she was trusting it would be enough.

"Okay, so you wanted two boarding passes for the Me Ke Aloha cruise that leaves port this Saturday, is that correct?"

"Yep, that sounds right! And, um," Placing her mouth closer to the phone, she asked as if whispering a secret into someone's ear, "How much is it?" Never one to undervalue the importance of good luck, she crossed her fingers.

"Well that depends. Which deck are you interested in? If you open your brochure you'll find a map of the ship's interior." Orihime unfolded the brochure and examined it closely. There were five decks listed 'A' through 'E' from first deck to bottommost. "The 'A' deck cabins are the largest and most luxurious, so naturally they'll be the most expensive. As you go down a deck, the cost is less, but the cabins aren't as extravagant."

Orihime considered her options. She really didn't have a whole lot of money. And what did it matter what their room looked like? She'd be spending most of her time outside of it anyways. "I think 'E' deck should be fine."

"Then I have booked you and your guest for room E508," the travel advisor informed pleasantly.

"Great! Let me just find my credit card," Orhime mumbled, looking around for her bag and spotting it hanging from Ulquiorra's chair.

Approaching him always made her apprehensive, but lately it was getting out of hand. She was just getting her wallet, for goodness sakes.

Reading off the digits printed across the card to the woman on the other end of the line, the young girl ignored the pair of eyes she could feel glued to her face.

When everything was set and done, Orihime had the option of either having the tickets mailed to her or picking them up at the travel office.

"I think I'll pick them up, if that's okay. I'll be out today anyways." Already she'd mentally constructed a considerable list of things she and Ulquiorra would need before the trip.

"Good, then I shall see you later today Miss Inoue!"

Hanging up the phone, Orihime placed her wallet back inside her purse and pulled the strap onto her shoulder. She looked down into Ulquiorra's impassive face. "There are some things we're going to need before the trip, so I'm going shopping for a little while. Would you like to come?"

Somehow he couldn't think up an alternative less he wanted to sit alone in her apartment for the remainder of the day. Having done so once before, he knew better than to test the boundaries of his patience in such a way ever again. "Fine."

Orihime smiled happily and glanced down at his more than half-full plate of food. He hadn't taken a second bite. "Are you done eating then? We should get going if we don't want to be out all day," she said offhandedly, glancing at her watch. It was already half past noon.

Ulquiorra stood silently, taking his plate of uneaten food and placing it in the sink. It wasn't that he wasn't hungry, because he was, it was just a challenge for him to get used to her strange food. He had yet to have food other than what she provided, but if all human food tasted as hers did then he was going to have difficulty adjusting.

Orihime knew none of this. Nor did she know that the taste of her food repulsed him so much that, despite being ravenous, the mere thought of ingesting her meals made his stomach churn. He'd wager even the Octava would struggle to concoct something even half as vile.

He turned to find her slipping on her shoes near the front door. Putting his hands into the pockets of his borrowed black slacks, pants she'd loaned him from her deceased brother's closet, he headed her way, ready to leave and get this over with.

Once outside he followed behind her at a safe distance as they strolled down the sidewalk. A dog was barking nearby and he could hear the rush of cars driving in the distance. These sounds, the heat from the sun, the thickness of the air, of gentle breezes and rain were all things new to him. Of course he'd seen and heard them before, but not enough to where he was entirely used to them. And with his new human body, hearing and seeing these things was entirely different than it had been in his Hollow form. Everything was intense—colors, smells, textures, noises, feelings.

Yes, they were there. It was likely they always had been, because that was the only real explanation as to how he had a vague understanding of them. The difference was that they were now a constant, whereas before they were nothing but a faint presence beneath the surface of duty and conscientious thought.

The soft sound of Orihime sneezing distracted him from his thoughts, his eyes moving to concentrate on the soft sway of her unbound hair, ginger waves brushing the small of her back with every step.

Ever since their return to her world she'd been behaving as if the events that'd occurred at Las Noches were but a fleeting nightmare. Undoubtedly just his presence alone had to be a continual reminder of her stay in the whitewashed prison; though one would never know with the way she treated him.

The woman was as much a stranger to him now as she was the first time he'd laid eyes on her. He was unused to the casual ease with which she smiled at him, spoke to and regarded him, as if he'd never treated her wrongly. There were so many questions to be answered, so many things he didn't understand, namely why she had hoped to save him. He'd done nothing to deserve even an iota of her kindness, and yet she gave it to him freely.

Willingly.

He sighed, an emotive action he'd only recently found himself prone to doing when buried beneath his pyramid of thoughts. Thoughts that left him tired, his search for answers revealing nothing but another slew of questions.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Orihime casually glanced behind, her eyes meeting Ulquiorra's. Offering a small smile, she returned her attention to the sidewalk, if only to keep secret the flush of rose on her skin. Purposefully slowing her step, she waited until Ulquiorra was at her side as they continued on.

What hadn't changed was just how fascinating she was. Such a small movement, a mere shift in pace and step, and Ulquiorra's mind was thrown into the realm of curiosity.

This manner of walking beside another was new to him as well. It offered itself to companionship, something generally unheard of in Hueco Mundo, at least amongst the Espada where rank placed one's position either ahead or behind, never beside. Now he lived in a world where equality was preferred to superiority, where Orihime could stand at his shoulder and no one would question his judgment or allegiance to authority.

It was satisfying.

Ahead, a girl around Orihime's age was approaching, and catching sight of Ulquiorra, was unable to conceal her stare.

A slight pang of annoyance tightened Orihime's mouth, and perhaps noticing, the girl shyly moved her attention to her feet as she scurried past.

Glancing up at the quiet man beside her, Orihime was unsurprised to find that Ulquiorra looked entirely unbothered by the attention. Being the most observant person she'd ever known, there was no doubt that he noticed the stares, he likely just didn't care.

And her annoyance on his behalf was a little unfair. It wasn't as if people didn't have reason to stare. There weren't very many men with skin quite as white and eyes that deep shade of green. A small smile softened her expression as she thought of the looks he'd receive if Urahara had modeled his Gigai to be an exact replica of his Hollow. There would be no way of explaining his helmet or the teal markings on his face.

Thankfully Urahara had enough sense to create Ulquiorra's Gigai to look as human as possible, whilst preserving the features that made him him. For instance, though his paper white skin was a shade or five below realistically healthy, she couldn't imagine Ulquiorra with a tan.

And she'd never admit it aloud, but she actually found him quite attractive. Pale skin and all.

She was a lucky girl in that respect, because many of her friends were attractive. Sado-kun, Ishida-kun, Kurosaki-kun…

The two paused when Orihime caught sight of the small building to their right, the front windows plastered with pictures and advertisements for different cruise liners.

Once inside, Ulquiorra eyed the hula dancer figurines sitting atop the front desk counter with quiet consideration. Noticing his interest, Orihime poked one with her finger, laughing lightly as it began to bobble side to side, instantaneously annoying her unsmiling companion.

A heavyset woman holding a folder approached them before taking a seat at the desk. "Hello, can I help you?" She asked, rolling forward in her chair and smiling up at the two.

"We're just here to pick up the passes for the Me Ke Aloha cruise. I just ordered them over the phone. I'm Orihime Inoue," Orihime said, leaning against the counter.

Her back arched as she leaned forward, locks of auburn falling around her shoulders. Momentarily fixated, Ulquiorra forced his eyes to return to the dancing hula figurine, its curves plastic and cartoonish, and not nearly as discomfiting to look at.

"Of course, of course," the plump woman cooed, reaching into a folder and pulling out a large manila envelope. She handed it to Orihime's impatient hands.

The moment she had the envelope in her grasp, it was open for her to enthusiastically examine the contents, chestnut eyes scanning glossy photos and agendas.

"Inside—yes, that right there," the desk-woman began, pointing to the white sheet of paper Orihime was currently examining. "That is the list of required dress attire for the ship. You know, what is allowed and what isn't. Also inside the folder you will find a dinner menu, the prices of what is available for room service, as well as a list of activities the ship has to offer."

Minutes passed by slowly as Orihime asked questions and the advisor offered answers. When everything was finally settled and Orihime realized how late it was getting, she hurriedly stuffed the papers and tickets into her purse, offering an appreciate wave on the way out the door. "Thank you very much!"

The woman smiled and eyed the two of them, her wrinkled eyes lingering on Ulquiorra for a bit too long. "You two have fun. Oh, and congratulations!"

Orihime smiled over her shoulder as they stepped back outside into the afternoon sun, only momentarily giving the congratulatory words any consideration, the sight of Ulquiorra standing beside her making her forget why she thought them strange. Glad that she now had something to do, she turned her attention to the list in her hand. "Okay, well now I suppose we know what we'll need to buy. Most of this I have at home, but you will definitely need some swimwear..."

Somewhere between sunscreen and toothbrush protector, Ulquiorra had managed to tune her out as it seemed she wasn't really speaking to him anyway, just rambling aloud a list of what she called necessities. Much more interesting was her expression, her face alight with transparent excitement, her step quickened as she led them to the shopping center.

The shopping center itself, however, was not something he found himself very interested in. Many, if not most, of the people leaving seemed lifeless, their hands heavy with shopping bags, dragging their feet, exhausted.

The amount of shops in the building was overwhelming. He found it ridiculously extravagant and unnecessary to have so many stores when they all sold the same thing. Clothes. Shelves and racks of them.

And it appeared Orihime planned on visiting each one.

He followed her closely as she picked up one shirt and then another, holding it to her chest to see how it looked or turning to ask him what he thought and getting flustered when he didn't respond.

But it was as if his brain were shutting down, his disinterest in the entire ordeal sending him into a robotic state. He remained this way until the fourth store, his indifference diminishing when Orihime spotted a flower print dress and went to try it on.

"Tell me what you think, okay? And be honest!" She called through the curtain of her makeshift dressing room.

He stared blankly at the blue cloth, waiting for her to reveal to him a dress that likely looked similar to all the others he'd seen her in. It'd be soft and feminine, and she'd look as she always did.

Peeling off her clothes, Orihime slipped into the tropical sundress. She reached behind herself to pull up the zipper, frustrated when it jammed near her lower back. After a little more struggling, she surrendered, peeking behind the curtain shyly. "Ulquiorra, can you get the sales clerk for me, please? I need some help."

Confident there was nothing a sales clerk could do that he couldn't himself, he stepped forward. "What is it?"

Holding the dress to her chest, Orihime assessed the situation before deciding that it wasn't a big deal. Ulquiorra would be seeing her in a bathing suit soon anyway, so this wasn't much of an issue, surely. "It's my zipper," she explained, letting him into the dressing cubicle and turning her back to him. "It's stuck."

His eyes fell to her exposed flesh, her skin smooth and bronzed. With her hair moved out of the way he could see the graceful curve of her spine as it led tantalizingly downwards to the crest of her rear. With slight hesitation he grasped hold of the zipper and pulled it slowly upwards, his knuckles brushing against her skin softly, the touch drawing a warm tingle along her spine. Orihime felt the hairs on her arms stand on end.

When he was finished, she turned to face him, arms out so that he could see the dress clearly. "So?" Just one word, and the tension in her voice was plain as day. "How does it look?"

Deep green eyes looked down, directly into her cleavage, their close proximity forcing them into a position that didn't allow much opportunity for looking elsewhere. Almost immediately he moved his eyes away, stepping out of the dressing room to leave her alone, near certain she'd need a moment because he found that Orihime was easily embarrassed.

In a poor act of nonchalance, her cheeks still a cherry red, she emerged to scrutinize the dress in the three way mirror, smoothing her hands over the delicate fabric, tugging at the neckline. "I think it's pretty," she commented, twisting to inspect the back, the skirt momentarily flaring to expose her legs before settling around the tops of her knees.

Ulquiorra knew what she was waiting for, he just couldn't gather why his opinion mattered to her. "It's fine."

Even his offhanded response managed to put a smile on her face, although it wilted a bit as her eyes moved back to the neckline, to the slight peek of her full chest. "I don't know, though. Maybe it's…"

It wasn't disapproval that he noticed, but a quiet sadness that settled itself into her gaze, in the lines of her mouth. Again she tugged at the neckline as if the action would somehow raise it and all her problems would be solved.

What Ulquiorra didn't know was that Orihime had to deal with this disappointment much too often. The dress itself was perfect. That wasn't the issue. The problem was her. Clothes just weren't made for her shape. They always fit perfectly except around her chest, where she was much larger and disproportionate.

Over the years she'd found ways to cover herself, usually loose fitting button-up blouses and cardigans, baggy sweaters and stretchy materials.

But she was about to go to Hawaii, and for once she'd really hoped she could wear something a little more pretty, maybe show some shoulder without showing everything. But as usual, it seemed it was either all or nothing.

"It's fine, onna."

Orihime met Ulquiorra's gaze in the mirror, and her hand paused its tugging. "You don't think it's too low?" The question couldn't be asked without her blushing, the expression accompanied by her nervously playing with the hem.

Ulquiorra wasn't certain on the exact definition of 'too low'. She wasn't exposed. By the standards of the Espada, particularly the Tres, he'd say she was dressed quite modestly. But human norms and those of the Espada, if there were ever such things as norms in Hueco Mundo, were no doubt vastly different.

However, norms aside, all that mattered in this situation was that she liked it, which she obviously did.

What he'd never really put into consideration was that Orihime was self-conscious. The mere thought seemed absurd, although the more he watched her attempt to hide herself, the more he realized this happened to be the case.

Ultimately she decided to purchase the dress, figuring she didn't have to wear it if she didn't feel comfortable, but liking that she had the option.

After collecting a few more things, the last stop was a swimwear store.

Rack upon rack hung the smallest articles of clothing Ulquiorra had seen yet, and he observed with slight confusion as Orihime picked up a particularly small piece and examined it.

"Onna, that is unreasonable," he said, eyeing what looked to be a blue metallic bra with a matching bottom.

"You don't like it?"

Ulquiorra frowned, wondering if this was a game or a joke. Clearly it must be the latter because just minutes ago she was worrying over a slightly deep neckline, and now she was considering a scrap of cloth that wouldn't cover anything.

However, despite his puzzlement, the thought was suddenly in his head, an image procured of her wearing such a tiny garment leaving him extremely agitated.

Realization dawned on Orihime and she covered her mouth to stifle a bubble of laughter. She loved this. He had absolutely no idea about anything when it came to her world, and it was incredibly endearing. As she giggled, she saw his lips thin, a sign that he was annoyed. Clearing her throat, she quickly calmed down, still smiling. "Ulquiorra, this is a swimsuit. It's what people wear when they go swimming."

This information did not sit well with him, and it had less to do with a norm that made perfect sense, and more to do with the idea of Orihime wearing something so revealing. It was a thought he'd prefer not to linger on as it again made him feel discomfort, though he had no answer as to why. Flesh was nothing but flesh, and hers was the same as anyone else's. Which was why he found it peculiar that it was imagining the sight of her skin, and only hers, that caused a warmth to creep up his spine.

Glancing once more at the tiny swimsuit, his eyes roamed the store, landing on a decently modest one-piece near the back wall. "Tell me why you would not prefer that one?"

Orihime followed the direction in which his gaze was directed, forcing a smile as she caught sight of what was likely the most hideous swimsuit she'd ever seen. It was a black one-piece with an attached skirt long enough to cover her thighs, and a scoop neck that would barely reveal her collarbone. Going over to inspect it closely, she pretended to truly consider it so as not to offend his odd choice. "I don't know. It's nice, but a little…"

"You would prefer to be more exposed."

She blushed. "You don't have to say it like that." Feeling a little defensive and not wanting him to misunderstand, she was quick to explain, "It's just difficult to get a tan if I'm all covered up, right?"

His attention fell to her collar, her neck, before returning to meet her shy gaze, unsure as to why she felt the need to change the tone of her skin when it was fine the way it was.

"Most people just look better when they're not pale, that's all." Immediately she cringed, aware of the insult a moment too late. It was a solid foot-in-mouth moment.

Something in Ulquiorra's gaze clicked off, cooled, turned unresponsive. "I see."

Crap. Speaking to him was already hard enough, and now she had to go ahead and insult him. "Sorry, I didn't mean—that's not—" She sighed, awkwardly combing her fingers in the side of her head. "I didn't mean you. You're…"

His eyes moved to hers, and she wondered if she was just imagining the quiet expectation hidden beneath deep emerald.

There were a lot of options she could end with, and she wanted to be honest, really she did, but the last moment she chickened out. Dropping her gaze, she murmured a weak, "Fine."

You're fine. Good job, Orihime, that'll definitely cheer him up.

A silence that was undeniably awkward stretched between them, and although such silence was a daily occurrence for them, this time it was painfully tense.

Returning the unsightly swimsuit Ulquiorra had suggested to its rack, Orihime turned away, clearing her throat and hoping she'd figure out a way to apologize later without embarrassing herself too horribly. "Anyway, I only came here for a cover-up," she continued as if the moment before hadn't happened.

Ulquiorra watched as she picked out a sheer white cloth made of a delicate mesh and draped it over her arm.

"Oh, and you should probably pick something out too. I don't think you want to wear Sora's old trunks. They're not really your style."

The once Espada had no idea what style she was making reference to, as the only clothing he'd ever called his own had been his uniform, and it wasn't something he'd chosen to make a fashion statement.

However, he made no comment as he followed her to the men's section, instead choosing to observe as she browsed through a rack of swimming shorts, picking them up, looking up at him, and shaking her head as she returned them to the rack.

"Do you have a favorite color?" She asked curiously.

"I do not," he replied, watching her as she continued to shop for him. He wondered what she was thinking when she picked clothing for him, why it was that certain things looked wrong.

"You have to!" She exclaimed in disbelief, pausing her perusal. "Let me guess." Placing a finger to her mouth, she adopted an expression of deep thought, and then pulled out a pair of shorts. "Blue?"

The color brought to mind a certain feline nuisance. "No."

She returned them. "How about yellow?"

"No."

She searched and then found something she liked. Pulling out the pair of emerald green swim shorts, she held them up. "I like these."

Ulquiorra examined them silently. There was nothing remotely special about them. They looked exactly the same as the other pairs of shorts she'd shown him. They were simply green.

He took note that she seemed fond of the color.

"But what do you think?" She asked him, walking closer and offering them for him to take. His hands stayed in his pockets.

"If you like them, then buy them," he said calmly.

"My opinion shouldn't matter, though. You're the one wearing them," she replied, her eyes looking up into his.

"I trust your opinion, onna."

She couldn't quite say for sure, but she felt that she was likely blushing as her face felt warm enough to cook an egg. Nodding felt mechanical, her movements awkward, her body suddenly very aware of their proximity and the fact Ulquiorra hadn't stopped looking at her since they'd walked in the store. "Okay, then green it is."

After making their purchase, Orihime dragged Ulquiorra to the last of the stores on her list. When they finally emerged the shopping center it was to find the sun had disappeared, the moon already high and bright.

It was difficult to say for Ulquiorra, but she could safely assert she was exhausted.

When they finally reached her home, Orihime fell into a heap of tired limbs on the couch.

Placing the bags he'd helped carry on the floor, Ulquiorra took a seat beside her, waiting for her to suggest something for them to do as he didn't feel comfortable doing as he pleased in her home.

Dark chocolate eyes opened to meet his when the cushions at her feet dipped with his weight as he sat down. Lifting her head from the cushions, she requested gently, "Can you turn the lamp on please?"

Warm light filled the tiny living area, giving the apartment an atmosphere of comfort.

Yawning, Orihime drew herself up and rubbed at her eyes. "I need to take a shower, but I'm scared I might fall asleep," she drawled, smiling sleepily and stretching.

Ulquiorra watched as she pulled herself off the couch and stumbled to the bathroom. A few moments later he heard the sound of the shower switch on and he closed his eyes, dreading for when she came out in her nightclothes. Since he'd come to live with her, he discovered it was the hardest part of his day. More so than eating her food.

He had a foreboding feeling that this trip they were about to embark on was going to be quite interesting. As far as he'd gathered from what she'd shared about the ship, they were to stay in the same room.

Before he could even voice his thoughts on the idea, she'd interrupted him and had sworn that there'd be two separate beds. But even so, if he had to be in such close quarters with her for two weeks then her nightclothes were going to be an issue that he did not feel comfortable addressing.

His alert ears perked up when he heard the water shut off. A few minutes later the door creaked open and his new heart began to beat restlessly as he sensed her approach.

"Ulquiorra, you can use it now," he heard her say from somewhere behind him.

The smell of soap wafted softly through the air, carried by the steam radiating from her clean skin. He opened his eyes with reluctance when he felt her finger gingerly prodding the back of his head, no doubt bothered by his unresponsiveness. "Do not touch me, onna." Her hand drew away quickly.

"You're being so quiet," she murmured, walking around to stand before him to his frustration.

Hands on her hips, Orihime bent at the waist in an attempt to meet his gaze, but his eyes wouldn't move from his lap. It seemed as if he were in a daze or just plain ignoring her, which wasn't entirely impossible considering who he was.

If they were ever to become friends then steps needed to be taken, and ignoring each other wasn't one of them.

Reaching out a sure hand, she tousled his dark hair lightly, disheveling it, surprised by its softness.

Annoyed green eyes fixed on her and she ruefully combed his hair back to how it was before, enjoying the feel of his silky locks winding through her fingers. "Sorry," she said softly, smiling slightly.

He wasn't sure why it started, but recently he found that she would sometimes cross into his personal space like she was now, as if it were natural and welcomed. And while that was confusing enough, what was more was the fact that he never made any move to stop her.

With her fingers massaging his scalp as she attempted to fix the mess she'd made of his hair, she simultaneously offered him a front row seat to her chest. It was likely that she was simply unaware, but in a way Ulquiorra found that even more aggravating because it put him in the uncomfortable position of having to point it out in order to remedy the situation.

It was incredible. He had done absolutely nothing to end up in this position, and yet here he sat with the foolish woman's poorly clothed body standing less than a breath away.

His eyes fell to her smooth legs despite himself. The first night he'd stayed at her home and she'd come out wearing those ridiculous shorts his heart had lurched at the sight. When he'd first kidnapped her in her school uniform, he'd taken no notice of her legs, being too focused on his task. But now, having nothing on his mind that required very much concentration, he noticed.

Long, toned, bronzed, leading upwards to full hips, just the sight of her legs alone made his face feel strangely warm and his pulse quick.

This only made him wonder what exactly was wrong with him, because as he'd noted prior, he'd seen women just as attractive in much less and hadn't had any sort of discernable reaction. Now he found it troubled him greatly just to think of her wearing what she was now, which was nothing more than simple cotton shorts and a loose fitting tank.

"About what I said earlier," Orihime began quietly, drawing back and moving her gaze to his shoulder, anywhere but his face, "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it."

"You have nothing to apologize for." It was just another thing he was uncomfortable with, her capacity for concern even reaching out to someone as undeserving as himself.

She nodded, feeling slightly better, though not entirely. "What I wanted to say is it suits you." The words were a near whisper, the comment accompanied by a swift glance. "Being pale, I mean."

Goodness, complimenting someone had never been this stressful before; Orihime wasn't sure why it was now. It wasn't like she was saying anything strange. In fact, as far as compliments went, hers was a very tame one. So why in the world was her heart beating so fast?

"Anyway, I'm going to get some sleep. If you need anything feel free to wake me, I won't mind," she offered as she skirted around the couch and Ulquiorra, whose gaze was following her with a devoted concentration. "Goodnight."

As soon as he heard her bedroom door close, he sighed, relief relaxing his muscles and urging him to settle into the cushions.

Eventually the speed of his pulse began to slow. Now that Orihime had left, his body could return to its usual working order, which turned out to be much more pathetic and weak than he'd realized prior to inhabiting this Gigai.

Human bodies were absolutely exhausting and much too complicated for his liking. The fluctuating emotions, the sudden illnesses, the need to eat, having to use the restroom, and the stimulating sensations he felt whenever Orihime drew close.

It was all so inconvenient.

A wave of fatigue wrapped itself around his limbs and weighed down on his eyelids, the idea of walking to the bathroom to shower suddenly seeming an impossible feat. Doing what his human body told him to, Ulquiorra stretched out on the couch, the place Orihime had designated for him to sleep for the duration of his stay—which was still unknown.

Inhaling gently, he could still smell the scent of soap, and as he pressed a pale cheek into his borrowed pillow, he could smell her. Closing his eyes to block out the light from the lamp, Ulquiorra began to fall off to sleep.

As images of Orihime floated through his head, before he realized it his thoughts had faded into dreams, a certain ginger-haired girl present in each one.

[01/15/14] Chapter revised and updated.

Author's Note: Because I'll be going through and revising each chapter, updating as I go, anyone reading will likely notice some inconsistencies in style and detail.

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