A smirk on his face as his eyes shifted upward from the girl before him. However, he shifted his glasses upward as well, concealing the pools of blue from being viewed by anybody. Not that anybody was around, it was simply the two of them, sitting across from one another.

Why he agreed to meet her after that night, he didn't know. The night of their meeting was strangely enjoyable for the Quincy, who rarely enjoyed meeting others, especially since the comrades of Kurosaki were a strange bunch as it were.

He didn't need another one of Kurosaki's biggest fans hovering around him. He no longer despised Ichigo as he once did, but Uryu still had his grudge, though it softened significantly.

But Senna wasn't exactly turning out to be as he initially thought.

She didn't run back to Kurosaki when he came calling for her the other night. It took him physically manhandling her before Senna would leave the other night. It was amusing in it's own right to see him pick her up and carry her away before she would budge from her spot before him. Maybe she wasn't just a girl who pined after the substitute shinigami.

Like Inoue. No, Ishida was not oblivious to his classmates' feelings for the orange haired boy. And while he couldn't stop his own feelings from forming, and he held hope she would return them, he didn't expect as much.

Senna certainly wasn't like Rukia either. She wasn't as harsh, and she wasn't as fast to kick Kurosaki straight in the face. That was one trait Uryu did admire of Rukia - knowing he was too refined himself to kick the shinigami when he needed it. He also knew, deep down, it was because he cowered from the inevitable payback Ichigo would give to him. Rukia, on the other hand, could get away with it.

From what he overheard at school the next day, from Kurosaki and his big mouth, Senna had slept in the Kurosaki Clinic, and was scheduled to that night as well. It was now the next day, and he could see the exhaustion in her expression as she sat in front of him. The Kurosaki family was rather exhausting, if Uryu was being honest with himself. While his own father was imperfect to say the least, he wasn't a loud oaf. Far from it, in fact.

As he looked up to the sky from the park bench, he continued to listen to the girl across the way speak of her stay at the Kurosaki house. He didn't have much to say about it, at least nothing he could to comfort her. Besides, that was far from his territory.

"You know Uryu, it's just not fair. Rukia gets to stay upstairs at Ichigo's..."

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she did just pine after the shinigami. Yet, he was too conflicted himself to know whether or not he should be jealous.

"Simply because she cannot be seen by his family. That's the only explanation I can come up with."

"I don't care- I'm just mad that she gets to sleep in the comfortable beds while I'm stuck in those stupid hospital beds," she said while leaning back and crossing her legs. Uryu cursed himself for noticing her skirt rise up, if only an inch, as she did this.

"You don't care about the time she spends with Kurosaki?"

"I do I guess, but there are other interesting people out there besides Ichigo. Like you."

He heard her giggle as she jumped back up and seemingly danced her way across the walkway in the park until she reached his bench and sat down next to him. Still, not too close.

A comfortable distance.

"You think I'm interesting?" He asked with twinges of both interest and sarcasm.

"Of course I do. Everyone's interesting, if you really think about it. What about me, do you think I'm interesting?"

There he was again, pushing up his glasses, thankful for the suns reflection. Not that Uryu would turn his head towards her anyways, though he could sense Senna looking at him intently.

"As you said, everyone is interesting."

She repeated her same action, the crossing of her legs and the leaning back as she sat there on the bench with him. Only this time she turned to him, holding up a hand, as if to command his attention. He complied, looking over to the small being next to him, wondering how she could have so much energy.

"That's not what I asked you!"

Lowering his head down, the glare of the sun no longer reflected in his glasses, Uryu closed his eyes.

"Maybe not. But I still think my answer was clear."

"Hmnh..." she said in reply while lowering her hand so she could cross her arms over her stomach. Great...he knew, simply by the tone of the dejection, that she was either insulted, or annoyed at his behavior. Letting out a sigh, Uryu knew he had to modify his answer. Even though she could be as blunt as Kurosaki sometimes, she wasn't Kurosaki.

"Yes, Senna, you're interesting."

With a genuine smile, he turned his body towards her and nodded.

"After all, it's not every day I get asked to sit in the park."

The last part was more for himself than for her, but based on the smile beaming from her face, he knew he had corrected his 'faulty' answer.

"So Uryu, is there anything I can do about that stupid cot mattress?"

"Sorry, but I think that's something you'll have to take up with Kurosaki...you...you're not planning on staying there forever, right?"

"Mmm, no. Right now there isn't anywhere else for me to go, though. Unless you know somewhere - like maybe your place."

Letting out a sudden breath, Uryu thanked the gods, however many out there he had nothing in his mouth to choke on when she thoughtlessly made her suggestion. His spectacle was likely a sight to see, as he noticed passer-bys eyeing him as well. 'Great,' he thought to himself...just what he needed, more embarrassment.

"Are you okay?"

Simply nodding, he worked to regain his composure. Clearing his throat, he turned away once again, and looked straight ahead. After they sat in silence, for a minute, and then two, Senna eventually turning away from him, he broke the barrier.

"Well, I'm sure a futon would be more comfortable than a hospital bed. If you'd like we can go now. That is, if you still find me interesting enough."

"Why wouldn't I?...And I promise, I'm not just saying that because I'll get a good night's rest tonight."

The upward curve of his lips complimented her giggle.

Expectations were a funny thing. Perhaps they were meant to be broken. And maybe sometimes it was better to have none. But, in this case, Ishida Uryu simply stood up, and began walking knowing better than to dwell.

Senna wasn't just a typical friend of Kurosaki's. And that was enough in that moment.