Happiness

He gazed down into the crib at the small baby boy dressed in green footie-pajamas. His son was not even a year old and he already had a full head of thick black hair. He often found himself just staring forever at his son in absolute wonder. That he took part in creating something so good left him in disbelief. Along with the onna, there was nothing more important to him.

"What are you thinking about?"

Her soft voice and her dainty hand on his shoulder jolted him out of his thoughts, and his gaze moved from their baby to her. She was smiling up at him, softly. He held her gaze for a few long moments without answering before looking back at their sleeping child. Her hand moved to his back and he felt her rest her head on his shoulder.

"You love him, you know?"

"Is that what this is?" He pondered this quietly. It seemed that humans had a sort of obsessive fixation on defining what 'love' was. It didn't seem important to him anymore. Before, he'd just been curious, but now he knew that even if he understood it, it would change nothing. He'd still feel as he did now for his son and the woman at his side. If this was 'love', then so be it.

"You'll be the best father."

"How do you know that, onna?" He had his doubts. He wasn't brought up with the same sentiments as the other inhabitants of this planet. He wasn't entirely sure what a childhood should be like. The responsibility of nurturing a child was incredibly daunting. The abject fear he felt every time he imagined his son growing to dislike him nearly crippled him mentally. Many disliked him—most, actually. He was cold, unreadable, and too honest. The fact that a woman as warm, kind, and beautiful as Orihime could 'love' someone like him still confounded him. He knew she'd never dislike him, but their son? They were the only two beings whose opinion of him actually mattered.

"Because I know you."

He looked at her again. She always managed to make the most obvious things the most honest of truths. She did know him. She was the only other person other than himself that did, and he didn't even have to try to show her. She could read him, she understood that the things he said weren't always as harsh as they sounded, and she loved him. She had confidence that he'd be a good father to their child, and just knowing that she sincerely believed that gave him faith in himself that he would be.

The slight tension in his shoulders eased when she leaned upwards to gently kiss him. "I'm tired…" She yawned behind her hand, quietly.

"Go to bed, onna." It wasn't an order, but a suggestion, and as always, she knew that.

"I can't sleep if you're not there." She wasn't seducing him—she never had to try. He understood what she meant, because he was the same. Countless nights he found himself laying in their bed alone, his eyes open as he waited for her to come upstairs and curl up against him. It never mattered how tired he was, he just couldn't sleep without her.

He felt her pull gently on his arm and he followed as she guided him to the green armchair in the corner of the baby's room. He took a seat and allowed her to sit across his lap. Yawning once more, she tucked her head in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. He looked at her face, and even though he knew she was still awake, he brought up a hand to gently run his fingertips over her smooth cheek. She sighed softly, but didn't speak or try and stop him. He liked to do this often, and she didn't mind. She was so beautiful—the closest thing to perfection he'd ever come across. She was innocent in every sense of the word. She was the embodiment of what it was to be good. She was what the human race was always struggling to become. And she was all his.

She made him many things, but above all else she made him selfish. He wanted her attention all of the time. He wanted to see her, to be with her, to touch her, always. And he became like this because she spoiled him. With just the first tentative touches, hesitant kisses, and mumbled words, he'd become addicted to her. Every blush, every laugh, every tear, and every breath from her, he wanted only for himself.

"Ulquiorra?" She didn't open her eyes, but remained peacefully relaxed against him.

"What is it?"

"I want to take the baby to the park tomorrow…" She yawned. "The weather is supposed to be nice."

He watched her as she dozed off, contemplating the simplicity of his new life. Yes, she had changed him. It was with a strange sense of shame that he remembered himself before she had come into his life, and how he used to believe that physical strength and lack of emotional ties were the only way to true fulfillment. He hadn't realized until the day that she had made him want, how empty he'd been. How meaningless his life was. And now, it were the small things that he found himself completely fascinated by and that satisfied him to the fullest—waking up every morning in their warm bed with her resting peacefully in his arms, the loud cries of their newborn son in the middle of the night, the excited look in her eyes every time she was about to cook, the way she hummed to herself when cleaning the house, the first time he felt his son grasp his finger in his small hand, walks in the park…

His gaze went back to the white crib across the room. The moonlight shining through the curtains highlighted the baby's moonlight skin in the dark, so much like his own. Slowly, the baby awoke from his quiet sleep, revealing eyes that Ulquiorra had grown so used to seeing when the onna looked at him. He watched, fascinated as always, as the baby opened his small mouth to release a short, gasping cry. It was a warning that Ulquiorra had grown too used to over the passing months. Before a second breath could be taken, the baby's face scrunched up, his chubby cheeks flaring a delicate pink, and he wailed. Instantly, Orihime jolted awake in his arms and was out of his lap and dashing to the crib to pick up their baby boy and hold him close. Ulquiorra watched as she gently swayed to some silent tune as she tried to calm the baby. Her eyes were still a little clouded from sleep, but that did nothing to obscure the obvious warmth and joy shining bright in her eyes as she smiled softly into their son's teary face.

Gently, she tapped the baby's small nose with her fingertip and the small bedroom was filled with a gurgled giggle that made Ulquiorra's chest light. He wasn't entirely sure, but…this just might be happiness.

A/N: This is just going to be a giant compilation of one-shots with various ratings (K-M). Although there's probably going to be quite a lot of lemons…because that's how I do. PLEASE REVIEW! And what do you guys think would be a cute name for Ulquiorra and Orihime's baby boy? I can't decide…also, what would be a cute girl's name? I'd like to hear your ideas! :)