So this one is based on codeno-103 on Tumblr's picture from 2014. It has since been deleted, but it is the cover for this story. It was a gift fic to them back when they were still active on Tumblr.
"You want to go to an aquarium?"
Orihime jumped up and down, gray eyes alight with excitement. "Yeah I do! It opened last week and I really want to go!"
Ulquiorra's emerald eyes shifted as he searched his mind for what an aquarium was. Aqua meant water. He believed it was a place where they kept creatures from the ocean and other bodies of water for entertainment. He didn't understand the appeal, but the expression on Orihime's face was enough for a visit.
Ulquiorra stuck his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. "When would you like to go?"
"Yay!" Orihime squealed before running to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Let's go tomorrow!"
The former Espada had gotten used to this affection. He never thought a mere human could change his mindset so drastically. He didn't understand what he felt, all he knew was that he wanted to stay by her side and keep her safe. She was so innocent and pure-hearted. She filtered light into a heart he didn't know was black. He placed a hand on top of her orange locks while his other arm hooked around her waist. She tiptoed and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"Little things excite you," he commented.
Her cheeks tinged red, and she smiled. "You're right, but I enjoy spending time with people I care about the most."
Ulquiorra understood that better now than before he met her. He still didn't comprehend human emotion in full, but he could recognize certain aspects in her he never experienced before. It took Ichigo's hollow throwing him on death's door to realize it, but his curiosity about her increased. She took him into her home after the war despite all he had done to her and her friends; it still astounded him. Forgiveness meant no longer holding a negative action against the one who caused it. She should hate and loathe him, but she didn't.
Orihime buried her face deeper into his bare chest and sighed before releasing him. "How about a movie?"
"A horror movie," Ulquiorra said while walking through the blue carpeted hallway towards the living room.
Orihime gulped. Horror movies terrified her, but they were Ulquiorra's favorite. That was all he watched since he moved in with her about six months ago. It was amazing how their relationship had changed from captor and prisoner to friends. She couldn't lie, she gazed at his silky ebony hair, smooth skin, and forest green eyes all the time. She got lost in those deep pools every time he gave her that simple look. Orihime placed a hand on her heart while observing him set up the gaming console. At first, the change from homicidal enemy to a normal person was an abrupt adjustment. He faltered once when some jerk almost ran them over and then cursed at them. Ulquiorra didn't think twice before using his cero to blow the car to bits. That attracted a lot of unwanted attention, and they had to leave the vicinity fast.
Orihime took a deep breath to prepare herself for jump scares that would frighten to the brink of death. She adjusted her pink pajama shirt and took a few steps towards her worn leather couch. Ulquiorra made himself comfortable, a gray pillow propped behind his head. He looked over at her, but she fixated on the synopsis the movie and missed it. Dead Silence had a creepy looking ventriloquist doll on it. Her heart tripled its beat, and she gulped.
"Can't we watch something not scary today?" Orihime squeaked, still rooted in her spot.
"Is it not traditional to watch these during this time?" Ulquiorra asked. "The day Halloween is coming up soon."
He was right, but she preferred the dressing up and handing out candy to tricks and horror movies. Still, even though he wouldn't admit it, the Quarta Espada quite enjoyed scary movies. She would suck it up and try not to die of fright before the movie was over. Orihime hooked her tangerine-colored hair behind her ear and wrung her hands as she took her spot on the couch next to him. Soon the movie started, and she jumped at everything. Especially when the ghost of Shaw jumped out… or at any sudden sound… or sudden silence. Orihime screamed at every scene even if nothing happened. It was the anticipation that scared her more than anything.
Orihime shrieked again and held a pillow in front of her face. She continued to hide behind it for a moment.
"The movie is over Orihime."
She peeked from behind the safety of her pillow. "It is?"
Looking over at Ulquiorra, a minuscule curve of the right side of his mouth peaked. Her antics amused him. Then again, who wouldn't find her skittishness entertaining?
Orihime stood up and reached her arms over her head to stretch. "Well, it's late. We've got an early start for the aquarium!"
That thought brought her out of her fear and made her feel excited again. She loved aquatic animals so much. Orihime hoped she would get to see a few clownfish. It may sound strange, but ever since she was a little kid and saw the movie Finding Nemo, she found clown fish adorable. Orihime said her goodnights and headed for her bedroom. After the movie, going into the darkened room scared her. She reached the doorway to turn the light switch without going in. She felt safer in a lit room.
The orange haired female yawned again before climbing into bed. She pulled the thick pink comforter up to her chin before turning on her side and closing her eyes.
Beware the stare of Mary Shaw. She had no children only dolls. And if you see her in your dreams, do not ever, ever scream…
Orihime's eyes shot open. The same hushed voice from the film whispered the poem in her mind. Too bad she was so tired, or Orihime would have watched something funny after such a scary movie. Each time she closed her eyes, either Mary Shaw lunged towards her or Billy, her favorite doll, and his creepy light green eyes. The frightened woman sat up in bed, curling her knees to her chest and hiding so only her eyes and above were visible. The light on didn't help still her shaking hands. Her poor heart was beating a mile a minute.
"I knew I shouldn't have watched that movie," she whimpered.
"It takes so little to frighten you."
Ulquiorra stood in the doorway giving her that sideways glance she had grown accustomed to. He had changed into black sweatpants and a white shirt. He came to the side of the bed. The Fourth Espada fingered the comforter before flipping them back and climbing in. Orihime was sure her heart would explode.
"What are you doing?!"
"It is what you humans refer to as 'comforting'," he answered. "You relax when someone else is with you when you're frightened."
He could read her like a book. Orihime knew she wore her emotions on her sleeve, but the way he saw her differed somehow. Her former enemy peered into her soul. Ulquiorra could be judgmental, and she chalked that up to him not understanding the way human emotion worked, but he learned fast.
Orihime's anxiety faded as she snuggled deeper into her comforter. She knew Ulquiorra wouldn't go to sleep until much later. He didn't require that much sleep, but he would still lie next to her, an act that made the horrors of the movie faded away. The tired girl closed her eyes; the last thing she witnessed were those beautiful emerald orbs gazing at her.
Orihime sat up and stretched. Scratching the back of her head, bleary eyes looked at her clock on the nightstand next to her. It was a little past eight o'clock. The aquarium opened at nine, giving them time for breakfast beforehand. The ginger-haired woman jumped out of bed with excitement and guessed where Ulquiorra would be: in the kitchen. The aroma of a delicious Western-style breakfast filled the air. Smoky scents of bacon wafted to her nostrils, and her stomach growled in response. Ulquiorra seemed to enjoy cooking, and he caught on quicker than she did. Orihime was a little jealous that her friends liked his meals opposed to hers. Why didn't people like chocolate covered salted fish? It was delicious!
Orihime entered the kitchen and eyed the stack of pancakes and a full plate of eggs the Espada already made. He worked on the bacon with the diligence of a chef. He turned to face her. "Are you hungry?"
"Yes," she answered while going to the fridge and pulling out honey mustard to put on her pancakes. "I'm starving!"
She also grabbed a jug of guava juice and set it on her small kitchen table. Ulquiorra brought her a steaming hot plate and utensils to eat with. She smiled at him as he did so. Dark blue really was a good color on him. It made his features even more exotic. He seemed to prefer long-sleeved shirts to short sleeve, but it would get colder soon. They ate their breakfast in silence; nothing but the sound of the ticking clock on the wall and the birds chirping outside reached their ears. Once they finished, they cleaned the kitchen and Orihime left to go get dressed. She hummed happily to herself while brushing her long orange hair after deciding to wear it down. Over her black tank top that matched her knee-high boots, Orihime put on a purple button-up shirt. She folded the sleeves up neatly.
After brushing her teeth, Orihime smiled in the mirror and headed back to the living room where Ulquiorra waited. "Why do human female grooming habits take so long?"
Orihime blushed. "I want to look nice."
"You always are presentable," he spoke while placing his hands in his pocket. "Come, show me this aquarium."
Well, it couldn't count as a compliment, but it came from Ulquiorra. The two exited out of the door. Orihime inhaled a deep breath. Fall was overtaking the town; the air had a crisp, cool smell to it. Colorful leaves blew across the ground as they walked. The heat was dying down, and she welcomed the cool breeze even if it brought goosebumps along her skin. Gray eyes gazed at Ulquiorra as they headed towards the train station. He studied the scenery around them. It must have been very different to take in so much color at once, one thing Hueco Mundo lacked. Color didn't exist; only black skies and a bright moon.
Orihime shook her head, refusing to think about a bad time that would ruin her fun. "Let's get moving!"
(-)
It took them about twenty minutes to get on the train and make it inside the Karakura Town Aquarium. It was huge! Many people and families bustled by. Children's laughter echoed around her underneath the sound of gentle music. Ulquiorra got quite a few stares because of his hollow bone, but he didn't seem to notice. Orihime pondered over their first activity. The excited woman pulled Ulquiorra towards the tall information booth and grabbed a map. She felt him move behind her to look over her shoulder. The warmth of his body against her back even though he wasn't pressed against her made Orihime's cheeks flush.
"Where will you go first?" he questioned. He looked around at all the people. "I am not used to crowds of mortals."
"Yeah, it's a new experience huh?" Orihime asked while looking at the map. "I'm sure you never thought you'd be living in the human realm, especially not being friends with one."
"Friends," he repeated.
This was another bond he learned from Orihime. She considered him… a comrade, but it was different. It was a mutual feeling between two people, the reason Orihime traveled to Hueco Mundo to begin with. The explanation to why Kurosaki and his cohorts came to rescue her. If this human were to die today, Ulquiorra would notice her absence, a difficult realization for him. Her caring strong spirit intrigued him. They were opposites: Orihime's pure heart may drown in his tainted one, yet she still wanted him around.
"Oh!" Orihime exclaimed. She pointed at the map. "Let's go to the tunnel!"
"What's that?"
Orihime grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the tunnel location. They walked past different exhibits that Orihime put on her mental list of things she wanted to experience. A show also started at one, just enough time for lunch. Food places at large establishments like this were more expensive but better quality. They walked side by side until they came to a pair of double doors. Orihime threw them open with excitement and stepped inside.
Her breath caught in her throat. The tunnel's clear glass opened a whole new world. Her gray eyes were wide, taking in the deep-blue atmosphere around her. Fish of every color swam behind the glass that separated them. Orihime ran to the glass while tugging Ulquiorra by his forest colored jacket. She held her right hand up and pointed at a fish that had a very spiky black and purple body.
"Look at that guy!" she exclaimed. "He's so cool looking!" Her eyes darted from corner to corner of the humongous tank. Orihime gasped and pointed at another fish. "There's the clownfish! It's my favorite!"
Ulquiorra did not share her enthusiasm. Orihime's ecstatic behavior over trivial fish puzzled him. Was it the colors, the different shapes? Her awe imitated a child's, but he realized something: Orihime appreciated the small things. Could one consider it a strength? Ulquiorra didn't know, but it only drove this strange desire to be closer to her.
Orihime rushed off to the opposite side of the tunnel with Ulquiorra trailing behind her. He didn't want to lose sight of that shocking orange hair. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
"So much!" she exclaimed.
Orihime's face grew bashful. She closed the distance between them and stood in front of the taller male. She tucked a strand of apricot colored hair behind her ear before wringing her hands together. Ulquiorra knew she was nervous, but why?
"Would you, um, hold my hand?"
"For what reason do you hold hands?" Ulquiorra questioned.
"Well," she murmured. She twisted her left foot in a slow circle. "When people like each other, they hold hands."
"As in tolerate?"
Orihime shook her head. "That's different. When you like someone, you want to spend time with them. You like being around them and look forward to it."
Ulquiorra understood. Orihime tried to express she shared a fondness for him, but he couldn't comprehend why. "How do you not despise me for all I've done to you and your friends?"
Orihime shrugged. "The heart can forgive many things."
The heart. This concept he couldn't comprehend until he was seconds away from death at the hands of Ichigo Kurosaki. The emotions and feelings of the humans intrigued him, and he would be lying to himself if he said he didn't have some… tolerance for the woman standing in front of him. The Arancar watched as she held her left hand out to him. At first, he stared at the gentle extremity before his own hand reached to brush against her delicate fingers. Their hands intertwined in an unhurried motion.
Ulquiorra felt… unusual at first. He allowed no one close contact like this. In fact, the powerful being refused all touch. However, the warmth of her hand was a sensation he did not care to stop. "Where do you want to go next?"
"Yay!"
Orihime and Ulquiorra continued to dash all over the large aquarium. After further looking at their maps, she wanted to visit the strange creature display, and afterward, the dolphins. The day warmed as the sun inched its way across the sky. Its glow on his skin made him remove his jacket and sling it over his shoulder. He and Orihime headed towards one of the many restaurants within the aquarium. She was having a tough time deciding which one she wanted to eat at and if this kept up, they would be late for the show starting in an hour.
Ulquiorra pointed at a restaurant called Sharks Underwater Grill on the map. "Let's eat there."
Orihime nodded in agreement. "That looks good."
The whole time, their fingers remained linked, only letting go when their hands got too moist. They entered the restaurant. This eatery impressed Ulquiorra, a difficult feat for anything human related. As they walked in, they looked up to see gray walls that looked similar to an underwater cavern. The décor was very elegant. An enormous tank illuminated from the inside had sharks swimming in it. A bar sat off to the right. Its counter was clear allowing customers could see different fish swimming underneath it. Colorful plant life flowed from side to side as the bar's base ended and the reservoir continued into an open tank, allowing patrons to stick their fingers into the warm water.
They were greeted by a young man as the door shut behind them. He smiled and brushed his shoulder-length ebony hair out of his eyes. "Welcome to Sharks Underwater Grill. Just two?"
"Yes," Ulquiorra answered. He studied the boy for a moment. "Why are you familiar to me?"
Orihime laughed. "It's Hanataro! So, you're working here now?"
"Just to break from the Seireitei," he replied. "It's nice to see you again Inoue-san." He picked up two menus.
"Make that four!"
Ulquiorra and Orihime turned to see Rukia and Ichigo walking up to them. Rukia gave them a warm smile. Rukia pulled her gray knitted cap off her head just as Ichigo shrugged off his black leather jacket. He hooked it over his right forearm and placed his left arm around Rukia's shoulders. She looked up at him through those violet doe orbs before returning her gaze to her friend.
Orihime bounded up to the smaller woman and hugged her, forcing Ichigo to remove his arm. "It's so good to see you guys!"
"It's great to see you too," Rukia mumbled against Orihime's bosom.
Orihime released her friend and waved at Ichigo. "Come and sit with us!"
Ichigo and Ulquiorra locked eyes. Even though it had been six months, things were still tense between the two warriors. They did not hate each other, but after all the animosity, bloodshed, and near-death experiences they gave one another, it left distrust. Ichigo also had not forgiven Ulquiorra for kidnapping Orihime, and the other male didn't care about forgiveness. Rukia ignored the two silent males. She walked up to Ulquiorra.
"Good to see you," she spoke, not afraid to hold eye contact with him.
"Rukia Kuchiki."
"That's my name," she commented. "Don't you two start being a stick in the mud or so help me!"
Orihime giggled and looped her arm in Ulquiorra's. Hanataro seated them in a nice booth. The pattern on the cushions was pastel green and contrasted with the dim lighting of the restaurant. Ichigo taunted Hanataro, mentioning how he always had a job in the human realm. Still, to see him doing well reminded Ichigo of how far they'd come. Hanataro placed a menu in each of their hands, got their drink orders, then left them to study the menu.
"What are you getting?" Ichigo asked Rukia while placing the side of his forehead against hers.
Rukia tapped a finger against her chin. "I'm thinking the grilled mahi-mahi."
"I think I'll get the T-Bone steak," Ichigo said while placing his menu down.
Rukia frowned. "You would order steak at a seafood restaurant."
Ichigo shrugged and put his arm around Rukia again and she leaned into his embrace. Orihime was happy for Ichigo and Rukia. The feelings of hurt and neglect long since abandoned her. It made it possible for her to be their friends without harboring jealousy. However, the pain of loving someone only for them to see you as a friend stung.
Ulquiorra looked at her. "Orihime, what are you going to eat?"
"Oh!" She snapped out of her trance and picked up the menu. "I think I want to try the tempura shrimp. I hope they have BBQ sauce I can put on it."
Ichigo frowned. "On shrimp? You have some strange taste buds."
Orihime laughed. "I don't think so. You'd like it if you tried it."
Rukia shook her head. "I highly doubt it. You like weird food."
Soon they ordered. Ulquiorra didn't get anything, something that Orihime had grown used to. They chatted while they waited for their meals; even Ichigo and Ulquiorra conversed. It turned towards a discussion about fighting. Ichigo mentioned he'd like to fight Ulquiorra some time, who responded that he had no problem killing him again. As expected, the comment riled Ichigo up.
"Be nice!" Orihime chided. "He's trying to be civil. You should be too."
Ulquiorra remained silent after Orihime scolded him. Scolded him like one would a child. If she had been anyone else, her life would have ended before she realized what happened. He stated a fact; the Vizard's irritation must be because he understood the truth behind his words. True, Ulquiorra knew it would upset his once arch-rival, but such a small matter didn't trouble him.
"Very well."
After a few more minutes of anticipation, their food arrived, steaming and smelling delicious. Orihime took a bite of shrimp and blinked in surprise. It was delicious with no sauces added to it. Normally, condiments had to go on everything she ate, even cereal. This needed nothing. She took another bite, savoring the delicious morsel.
"This is great," Rukia mused as she sliced another piece of her mahi-mahi.
Ichigo poured steak sauce on a corner of his plate. He cut a piece of his steak, impressed at how tender it was. Orihime picked up another piece of shrimp and held it out to Ulquiorra. "Try this."
The stoic man looked from her to the food in her chopsticks. He didn't require sustenance the way humans did. The meals they had for breakfast sufficed for the day. Still, he watched as she grinned with anticipation and Ulquiorra appeased her. He gripped her wrist, he opened his mouth and took a bite. His eyes widened. This dish surpassed everything he'd tasted since joining Orihime in this realm.
"Do you like it?" she questioned, pulling her chopsticks away and waiting for his response.
"Yes. We will learn to make this dish."
"Yeah!" Orihime agreed as she dug in again.
After they finished and paid for their food, Orihime wanted head over to the show. Rukia and Ichigo agreed to join them after her gentle nagging. Rukia and Orihime chatted about getting to see the killer whales. Ulquiorra had not heard of this creature. With a name like "killer whale", his interest in this creature increased. Soon they entered what looked like a large arena with a deep giant pool in the middle. Back a little further was a high stage with a huge sign painted in different hues of green and blue. It said, "One Ocean" on it, the name of the show. A half-circle entrance where the whales swam in opened on each side of the stage.
They took their seats close to the pool under Orihime's badgering. She didn't want to miss anything and sat down with her friends. Her smile never left her face. Her gray eyes sparkled, and her heart pounded with adrenaline as she waited with adolescent enthusiasm for the show to start. The excited woman looked at her watch every fifteen seconds before tapping her foot against the seat in front of her. Ulquiorra studied her intently. He did that more often than he would admit to. Such an odd creature she was. The Espada reached out and grasped a section of her hair. She turned to him with a smile.
"Impatient," he stated.
Orihime's smile grew wider. "I know! I'm so excited!"
"You've been excited all day," Ulquiorra responded while removing his pale hand from her silky locks to put his hands in his pockets. "How do you keep such a high emotional level?"
"That's just how she is," Ichigo interjected.
Rukia nodded in agreement. "She's the sweetness every group of friends needs to have."
Her cheeks tinted for the thousandth time that day at their kind words. "Thanks, guys."
Music started up, and the audience perked up, awaiting the show to get underway. A young woman came on stage clad in a blue wetsuit. She raised her arms to hype up the crowd. "Are you guys ready for a show?!"
The crowd roared and clapped their response. She placed a hand to her ear. Everyone cheered louder, and she gave them a bright smile. "I think Tamiko and Raine may have heard that!" She turned towards the openings within the stage. "Did you hear that guys?!"
The whales entered the pool area, one coming through each side. They both jumped into the air before submerging back underneath the water. Orihime couldn't sit with how much she enjoyed the show. The whales continued to do tricks, one doing backflips. Two whales and three more trainers joined them. They danced from side to side as the whales continued to impress the audience. Soon, the trainer who opened the show jumped into the water with the animals. All was silent for a moment. Ulquiorra sat forward, wondering what would happen next. At first, Ulquiorra loathed this cutesy display. The animals did not look like killers. Maybe the woman next to him, fists clenched and pressed against her mouth, was rubbing off on him.
The whale burst through the water's surface with the trainer standing on its nose. She did a front flip in the air and dived into the water with the large mammal following suit behind her. At the end of the show, everyone stood and clapped. Ulquiorra stood with the group and continued staring at the stage.
"What are you doing?" he asked Orihime as she continued to clap and whistle.
"What do you mean?" she questioned, turning to look at him quizzically.
"Why did you clap when the show started and now," he clarified.
"Oh!" Orihime smiled at him. "It's what you for a performance you're excited for. It also lets the performers know that we enjoyed the show."
"I see."
"So, are you going to clap Ulquiorra?" Ichigo asked while leaning forward so Rukia was no longer blocking his view.
Green orbs turned towards the audacity with tangerine hair. "No."
"Did you not like it?" Orihime's bottom lip poked out and she pouted at him.
Her face made him sense something. It was when you committed an offense and felt inadequate because of it. Guilt. Orihime made a heartless murderer identify guilt. How did she pull these emotions he never experienced before from him?
"I did not dislike it."
That was the closest Ulquiorra would get to admitting he liked the show. They were idiotic creatures, so he couldn't understand why their mediocre performance didn't irritate him. Still, his admission quelled the woman in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his waist. The Espada stepped forward to close the gap between them. Her warmth, it was almost addicting. His arms acted on their own accord, and he hooked them around her lower back. Orihime at first leaned her head in the crook of his neck before exhaling.
"You make me so happy," she murmured.
Ulquiorra mulled over that for a moment. He contributed to someone's happiness, the feelings of elation and joy? His previous job included bringing misery and death, yet here he did the complete opposite for this woman… and he didn't mind it. He never had someone care for him despite the horrid things he did in his past. His chin rested on the top of her head, her body's form-fitting his.
"How cute!" Rukia cooed while grasping Ichigo's hand.
"I didn't take you for a sap Ulquiorra," Ichigo commented.
Ulquiorra's eyes turned to lock with the smirking male. The main trainer yelled to the audience, "Thank you all for coming! Tamiko wants to say thanks too!"
Rukia must have known what would happen because she released Ichigo's hand and bounded further up the steps. The large whale swam next to where they stood before jumping up and splashing the first row of the audience. Ulquiorra's skills were sharp; he sonidoed himself and Orihime out of the way. Ichigo had worse luck. He sputtered and spit out pool water, his clothes drenched.
"How amusing," Ulquiorra said loud enough for Ichigo to hear.
"Shut up!"
The day sped by after that. Ulquiorra found himself in a normal state of mind despite all the surrounding humans. He couldn't believe that he became one of them, a species he deemed as weak trash. He and Orihime were getting on the train around five in the afternoon. She babbled on about what they could have for dinner. He listened intently, getting used to how much she talked. His eyes dropped to her lips.
Orihime paused. "What is it?"
"Nothing," Ulquiorra replied while sitting back further in his seat. "You're just…"
"Just what?" she probed, moving closer so her knee brushed against his.
He didn't finish his sentence. The Espada cupped her chin with his right hand and leaned in to kiss her like he had seen men do in some movies they watched. Orihime returned the kiss fervently. Her hands reached up to snake her fingers through his ebony locks. Her left hand brushed over his hollow bone in the process. Ulquiorra reached for the smaller woman's waist, pulling her into his lap. She let out a little squeak but didn't remove her mouth from his. Ulquiorra felt her tongue pressing against his teeth, begging for entrance. He granted her that and their tongues danced together.
"PDA!" someone on the train shouted.
Orihime jumped and pulled back, her cheeks turning the color of a tomato. She didn't know what to say. Ulquiorra ignored the person who shouted, gentle grip on the back of her head pulling her lips back down to his. They kissed for a few moments more before breaking for air. Ulquiorra's gaze locked with hers as his hand rested on her thigh.
"What are you doing to me?" he murmured.
Orihime smiled. "Showing you what it's like for someone to care for you."
"Hn."
As the train ride continued, Orihime's eyes grew heavy, and she leaned into her crush's shoulder. Within seconds, her breath evened out. Ulquiorra didn't move to avoid waking her and when the guy who yelled went to get off the train, he held up a finger and pointed it at him.
"Cero."