She wasn't exactly sure why Ulquiorra had become an interest to her. Halibel was intrigued by his devotion to Lord Aizen, ruler of their universe, and astounded that it nearly matched hers.
She had long since grown bored of lying at the foot of Aizen's bed like a used toy, only to be bent at his will, and used when he called. Of course, her loyalty was such that she would continue to answer to his call and be there when he wanted her.
She had grown tired of Stark's laziness and lack of motivation to pursue her. Ulquiorra seemed to have no motivation to pursue her, but she was determined that he was like her, and as such, they would click together.
She was definitely tired of listening to Nnoitra's teasing, Szayel's science babble, and Yammy's sheer stupidity. Gin had been of interest for a while, but lately he had grown strangely distant. It was something about a trip to Soul Society. Ever since his return, he had been so quiet and so overwhelmingly strange.
Ulquiorra wondered why Halibel sought out his company more than she sought out anyone else's. In fact, he hadn't noticed that she never sought anyone else out anymore. It was only he that she spoke with.
"Good morning, Ulquiorra-kun." She greeted, her tone brusque and formal.
"There is no need for honorifics, Halibel-sama." He returned.
"As long as you use them, then so will I."
"I see."
"Have you spoken with Aizen-sama today?"
Usually, she began their conversations with that, knowing that inevitably, they would give way into something deeper, something that revealed their souls a little bit more than the great depths that had already been revealed.
Ulquiorra, unlike many others, had insight into why Halibel chose to hide her bone fragments. It was not so much that she thought they were unsightly as much as it was her thinking that having her bones bared gave too much away.
If she bared the mandible, she had to completely bare her breasts. She left them only half covered to give the illusion that there was more, and that her nipples did not consist of strangely placed bone fragments, and that the essence of her womanhood was frozen in place, trapped beneath hard marrow.
Ulquiorra understood in a way that he had never thought possible. Halibel was a lot like him, after all. She was emotionless most of the time, but like him, the smallest slivers of emotion sometimes shone through like the crescent moon piercing its way through clouds.
"No. I have not seen him at all." Ulquiorra replied. "He has been rather reclusive as of late."
"I wonder why that is." Halibel folded her arms beneath her breasts, looking over at the wall. "He and Gin have been acting rather strange lately, don't you think?"
"Yes." Ulquiorra answered simply. "I suppose it can't be helped." He shrugged it off; indicating that he didn't wish to speak of it in depth for the walls listened.
Halibel rested her hand on his arm, her eyes steady. For the first time in a long while, Ulquiorra felt a small fluttering in the depths of his stomach. Was she the cause of that feeling?
He looked away before his face had a chance to show any color other than gray, wondering what this touch from Halibel was to mean. He had never seen her touch anyone else but to inflict pain, and while he was grateful that she was not touching him in such a way, he was perplexed as to what her intent was.
Looking again into her steady eyes, Ulquiorra found that he was even more confused. There was nothing to be found, and Ulquiorra could not see what Halibel's intentions were. He didn't believe in anything he could not see but—he felt this, and what was stopping him from believing in this strange feeling, and the strange urge to kiss Halibel's concealing collar.
His hand shook as he ran pale fingers through vivid yellow locks. Halibel's eyes brightened slightly, and she let her hand fall from Ulquiorra's, while his remained for just a moment longer.
In the next moment, his irrational desire to cover her collar in kisses took over, and he found he was doing just that, and Halibel was not stopping him. In fact, she seemed to be encouraging him, tucking her fingers under his chin and leading him to her face.
It was definitely strange, but it felt right, and Halibel liked the small jump from friendship to light romance. It reminded her of the days when she was slightly human, and when her body was not marred with white hideous bone fragments.
For a short moment, Halibel's hands cupped Ulquiorra's face.
"I will see you at dinner tonight." She told him. It was an invitation, a command, and something that Ulquiorra accepted.
He would be there for certain. He knew he wanted to pursue this, for whatever reason. No one, in any of his lives, he assumed, had made him feel exactly the way Halibel was making him feel.
That, and how could he refuse an invitation from a higher ranked Espada?