Welcome to Matte Matte chapter 10! I was going to post this sooner but I had a super stressful and busy week. I'm just glad I was able to squeeze this chapter in.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

Lesson 3: Spend Time Together

Ulquiorra stood as she stood, went to the kitchen with her as the redhead made herself a snack for school – because the cafeteria prices were too expensive for her appetite.

Ulquiorra was by her side as she gathered her books and other school supplies, and followed her to the door, sticking close beside her like a lovesick puppy. Unlike a dog, Ulquiorra made sure to stay out of her way, so that she wouldn't be tripping over him and awkwardly needing to ask him to skooch.

"Are you spending the day at home again, Ulqui?" Orihime asked. With one hand on the knob, she turned and faced him, placing her body between the door and the ex-espada.

While Ulquiorra mentally cringed at the nickname Orihime had started using more leniently, he remembered what the book said. Nicknames were just apart of the process.

"No, Onna." He told her in a firm voice, because failure wasn't an option. "I will be spending the day with you at the university."

Understandably, Orihime was taken aback. Ulquiorra, after all, was… well, Ulquiorra. T-University was a loud, populated setting with pointing fingers and trivial everyday dramas that would only annoy Ulquiorra, rather than interest him.

"Really?" Orihime asked. The man nodded stiffly. "Hmm, sure, I don't see why not. But my professors probably wont let you walk in on the class…."

"That is fine," Ulquiorra said. Even though his time with the woman would be limited because of that little obstacle, Lesson 3 taught him that it was okay not to spend every moment with his heartthrob. Distance worked too, if manipulated wisely.

With that, the pair walked away from the apartment and into the early summer morning.

Lesson 4: Find Things You Are Both Interested In

Now that was a toughie….

Ulquiorra had stayed up late at night contemplating the text with questioning eyes. Orihime – being an eccentric, female 19 year old – liked everything from puppies and unicorns to food to her friends. Ulquiorra liked….

Ulquiorra liked meals that didn't make his insides do a one-eighty. He liked peace and quiet. A good book – Orihime had a pretty good collection of reading material that he had dug into for lack of anything better to do. And he liked the nice, quiet moments that he got to spend with his "onna".

However, the book told him that finding out interesting things about his love interest was crucial. It told her that he's curious and actually interested in her.

"Onna," he said, capturing Orihime's attention from the small park they passed on the way to the university.

"Yeah?" Orihime asked, turning her eyes away from a black-haired girl playing soccer who looked familiar, but she was too far away to tell for sure.

"What do you like?"

Orihime, for whatever reason, blushed. Her eyes widened at his question, and a whole-hearted grin spread quickly across her face.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, as if the question had really caught her off guard. "I like a lot of things, Ulqui. I like trying new foods and eating them with friends-" that, he already knew "I like watching TV and singing… karaoke especially. I like my classes at the college. I like my friends… Ichigo," her smile became a little sweeter. "And Rukia, Uryuu, Chad, Yoruichi, Renji… and Mine now, too." She smiled up at the black haired man, capturing his eyes with hers. "And I like you, Ulquiorra."

Because Ulquiorra let his guard down, he wasn't expecting that last part.

"What do you li-" Orihime paused, her eyebrows pushing together when she saw that Ulquiorra had turned his head away, but not in time for her not to see. "Ulqui? Why are you blushing?"

Blushing? Was he blushing? Really? Him?

Ulquiorra ducked his head, letting his black hair block his slightly colored face from the woman's surprised gaze.

"I am not blushing, Onna," he told her coldly.

Orihime giggled quietly, smiling inwardly. "Whatever you say, Ulqui."

They reached the university fairly quickly. It was then that Ulquiorra's senses spiked up.

There it was again!

Ulquiorra walked Orihime to her first class; successfully ignoring all the side glances thrown his way.

"Huh?" an exasperate and loud voice rang once the pair reached the classroom. "You too, Orihime?" it was a girls voice. A classmate of Orihime's.

"What do you mean?" the redhead asked, stopping before the other girl who cut a glance at Ulquiorra – who stood by Orihime like a shadow – suspiciously.

"Mine came around with her boyfriend too!" the girl leaned closely to Orihime, peeking up at Ulquiorra again. "Are they apart of some gang, what with the weird way they look?"

Orihime burst out laughing, which startled her classmate and gained a few confused glances from onlookers.

"U-U-Ulquiorra isn't apart of a gang," Orihime laughed. "But Grimmjow and Ulqui do know each other."

"Oh," the girl looked over at Ulquiorra, who was trying not to scowl at the woman for saying that ridiculous nickname in public. On a side note, at least he knew where his heightened awareness was coming from.

Orihime and her classmate hurried into class before the bell marked them tardy, leaving Ulquiorra to find the blue haired man that he knew was sulking around somewhere on the university campus.

Why, you may ask, is he searching for his former enemy?

Lesson 5: Make Friends With Her Friends

This chapter was fun to write. I tried to write this a little more… I don't know… better, because 1 – I know I can produce good stuff, (I'm just not consistent with it) and 2 – I felt motivated. I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did, review and read on, thank you!