A/N: I know - I'm the worst. I lost my mojo again. But here's the next chapter - which was supposed to further the plot a lot more, but the characters turned out to be in a waffling kind of mood. They just couldn't be persuaded.

I wanted to thank everyone for their awesome reviews (which I will do personally, at some point) and also recommend a new story I started reading that looks really promising. It's called 6, by gwpe. It's a Grimmjow/OC Ulquihime fic with an OC that I actually really like and it's done by a talented writer. Give it a looksy and drop a review if you're feeling generous. All good fledgling stories should be given lots of love and care.

I don't use a beta - I get waaaay to antsy to update. So please excuse any typos or errors and whatnot, and feel free to point them out if you spot them. Also excuse the horrible title of this chapter. My muse ran out of steam.

Not-Shinigami and Birds:

When the two of them reached Ulquiorra and the human girl, his finger was on her chest staring quite intently at her cleavage, or something in the general area, and Orihime was looking half unsettled, half turned on. Nel couldn't really blame the girl for that reaction.

Grimmjow barreled through the few people separating them without a single care for appearances and headed straight for Ulquiorra like a charging bull. By the time she caught up, Ulquiorra had already been seized by the scruff of his neck and pulled out of his seat.

He stared calmly into Grimmjow's enraged face, unfazed by his crazed eyes. "You." Grimmjow growled through clenched teeth, spittle flying. "You knew about him this whole. Damn. Time. Why the fuck are we standing out here like sitting ducks?"

Orihime snapped out of her shock and leapt to her feet, tugging desperately on Grimmjow's jacket. "G-Grimmjow-san, there's people all around us! Please, you're making a scene!"

The two Espada ignored her completely, but Ulquiorra's long, pale fingers seized Grimmjow's wrist. Judging by the barely noticeable twitch on the taller man's face, quite a bit of pressure was applied to pry him off. "I'm surprised, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra said lowly, a very dangerous look in his eye, "To think you would remain oblivious to it for this long…"

Grimmjow pulled back his fist, "I'll fucking kill you, you little shit – " Orihime's mouth parted in a silent scream.

"Hey!" Nel said in a hushed whisper, appearing at Grimmjow's side and grabbing his wrist mid-flight. "Do you seriously think this is the best way to deal with this situation?"

Grimmjow jerked away from her, but made no further move to attack the fourth. His eyes darted around to take in the curious looks and muttered frowns they were receiving from the surrounding people and lingered on Orihime's pleading grey eyes. He sent Ulquiorra a hate-filled glare, ducked his head and lowered his voice. "You gonna explain yourself or what?"

Nel looked between the two with a worried frown. For some reason she was half expecting Ulquiorra to tell him to blow his demanded explanation out his ass. Maybe it was something about how unnervingly well Orihime had mimicked his insignia – his tear-tracks and black upper lip appeared to actually be shining through his gigai from his true form. It was as if the girl had traced them on, and there was something eerie and unsettling about the sight. But he surprised her. After giving Grimmjow a measured stare, he turned commanding green eyes to Orihime. "Stay," he ordered, as if speaking to an excitable puppy that required a certain force of authority.

Orihime's mouth popped open in affront and she bounced nervously on her heels. "Hey, wait, what's going on? Ulquiorra-san, where are you - ?" Her hand darted out when he turned away, fully intent to grab his coat and make him stay and explain himself. But at the last second she seemed to think better of it, her hand lingering uselessly in the air as he disappeared into the crowd. Grimmjow followed hot on his heels, leaving a murderous aura in his wake.

Nel sighed, running a hand through her hair, absently frowning when her fingers slid over the space her mask had been. Those two would be causing trouble, she just knew it. Her only solace was a strong suspicion that neither of them would willingly allow any harm to come to the other.

Spotting the forlorn and abandoned expression on Orihime's face, Nel felt a stab of pity in her gut. The poor child had so quickly become attached to that man. It was unsettling, but more than worthy of her sympathy. When the human turned on her with wide, concerned eyes, it was all she could do not to guiltily avert her gaze.

"Where are they going?" Orihime inquired, and Nel was momentarily taken aback by the quiet strength in her voice. She had somehow expected the girl to be less composed. She gave a tight smile and stepped past her to sink down onto the bench. Orihime followed, seating herself next to the former third. She stared expectantly and Nel resigned herself.

"They've gone to confront someone."

Orihime's eyes widened, and Nel grimaced internally at the familiar sight of someone trying their best not to panic. "Who? Did Soul Society find us?"

Nel shook her head, doing her best to ignore the answering sigh of relief. "No…" she said, "Not the Soul Society. But similar enough."

Orihime chewed her lip, quietly awaiting a further explanation.

"The Soul Society's jurisdiction is Japan. What we're dealing with here aren't Shinigami. They're...different"

Orihime looked puzzled. "Different?"

"Yes. They guard this place and many others from Hueco Mundo and they guide lost souls into the afterlife, just like the Shinigami. The one in charge of this city was obviously alerted to our presence and he's been tailing us all morning." And Grimmjow had been blissfully ignorant until she had blabbed about it.

Orihime digested this new information for a while. "Is he going to fight them?"

Nel considered it. "He shouldn't…When I was still the third Espada, Aizen-sama had just come to an agreement with them. He took advantage of a very destabilized time in human history to make that deal."

"What time?"

Nel hesitated. It wasn't a pretty story, nor was it a time she particularly enjoyed remembering. "Well…I don't know how much humans know of their history, but were you taught the events of 1945?"

Orihime frowned for a long moment before realization dawned. "You mean…?"

Nel nodded somberly. "Yes. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused an almost irreparable tear in the relationship between the Soul Society and the others. Aizen-sama exploited the situation."

Orihime seemed to be listening in rapt fascination. It was so strange, Nel realized, to be listened to with respect again. "But it was a human war. So why…?"

Nel shook her head, remembering the horrors of that time more clearly than ever. "It became so much more than that. Never in history had so much death occurred so suddenly in such a confined area. Nearly every single soul turned Hollow within the space of a day. It was all the Soul Society could do to keep them from spreading across Japan and devouring everything in their path. Thousands of Shinigami were lost trying to contain the Hollow, and when Soul Society requested aid from the ones responsible, they were ruthlessly denied."

Orihime sighed sadly. "That's terrible. Why didn't they help?"

Nel shrugged. "It could be that they were afraid. I was there to witness it firsthand. Even the Espada knew well enough to stay away from that place."

Orihime appeared to think fast. "So they've gone to go talk to the...American Shinigami then?"

"I don't know. But regardless, I know Ulquiorra won't want to provoke a fight. The chances are that they don't yet know what happened to Aizen-sama. So long as that remains the case, our truce should still stand."

Orihime nodded and Nel allowed herself to close her eyes. It was so difficult, keeping the girl at arms length. It was imperative that she not become attached, and yet Orihime radiated a presence so inviting that Nel felt herself ever more at risk of being drawn in. She smelled like fresh air and sunshine, and everything that Nel wasn't. But Ulquiorra had already staked his claim, and she couldn't risk being at odds with him over the girl.

"You seem different today. Tired."

Nel's eyes snapped open in surprise and she gave the girl a sidelong glance. Behind her silly facepaint, Orihime was watching her with solemn eyes that seemed to see right through her. And it was as if...as if what she saw made her sad.

"Do I?" she responded with an empty smile. "I suppose I am…This state of being is exhausting."

"What state of being?" Orihime inquired gently. Nel clenched her jaw and closed her eyes again. Why did she have to use that tone of voice?

"Constantly watching my every word and action…" she finally murmured, "Trying to remember what I would have done or said back then…I feel like I'm always one step away from making a complete fool of myself." She laughed hollowly.

Orihime frowned and scooted closer, laying a gentle hand on the older woman's shoulder. "Why are you trying so hard?" she asked, giving her a soft squeeze, "You shouldn't have to constantly watch yourself around your friends. That's totally depressing!"

Nel eyed the girl with a wry smile. Had she ever been that innocent? "My…friends, huh?"

Orihime nodded firmly. "Yes. Ulquiorra-san and Grimmjow-san. If anyone tries to hurt you, I'm sure they'd protect you! You have each others backs, right?"

Nel sighed quietly. Surely prolonged exposure to to those two should have hardened her world view? At least a little? "I hope so."

She was taken aback Orihime narrowed her eyes fiercely. "I know so," the girl declared with a stubborn glare, "So stop worrying so much! Ul-Ulquiorra-san..." Nel's eyebrows rose when the girl stumbled over his name,"Well...he seems to think that everyone besides him is an idiot anyway, so it's not like you have to worry about his opinion. And Grimmjow-san may act like a cave-man, but he carried you all the way from Hueco Mundo to here and he made sure that your hair didn't get dragged through hobo-pee while he did it. That's friendship!" The human leaned forward with an earnest frown. "And Nel-san…you need to trust your friends to be there for you. There's no way that they'd abandon you just because you're going through a tough time. You need to rely on them while you figure out who you are. Okay?" Orihime offered her a bright, reassuring smile.

Nel found herself blinking rapidly and swallowed down the lump in her throat. 'Ulquiorra...I might just have to fight you for her after all.'

Grimmjow glared at the white figure in the distance, itching to reach for Pantera. He and Ulquiorra were standing on the rooftop of a moderately tall building – a hospital, he registered vaguely. To their left, the Ferris-wheel and the fairground where they had left the girls was visible. Below them, humans continued their day to day habit of making as much noise as possible. He could hear traffic, children's screams and laughter on the wind.

He sat crouched atop the large water tower that reared from the roof while his companion rested with his back to the concrete parapet beneath him. Ulquiorra had folded his arms and lazily closed his eyes, as if they weren't up there to scout out what he considered to be a big fucking problem.

As if he sensed his thoughts, Ulquiorra muttered from below him, "Your bloodlust is becoming tangible. Try to contain yourself." The sound traveled effortlessly over the wind, up to his better-than-human ears. Grimmjow scowled down at his head.

"What the fuck are we even doing right now?" he demanded with a flash of fang and glowering eyes.

"We are observing," Ulquiorra replied quietly.

"Really? Because it looks to me like you're priming to take a nap."

He heard Ulquiorra sigh before he opened his eyes and glanced over his shoulder. He stared pointedly at where the white spec of their enemy was perched on a tall telephone pole in the distance. Apparently satisfied with that token display of effort, Ulquiorra turned back and closed his eyes once more.

Having had enough, Grimmjow growled in frustration and leapt off his perch, landing heavily in front of the pale man. Twin green orbs of apathy slid open to greet him as he straightened up.

"Enough of this," he said with deadly calm, "Why did you bring me here? Why did you bring any of us here?" He glared at the painted tear tracks on his companion's face. "I know it wasn't just so you could play dress-up with Orihime."

Ulquiorra blinked coldly. "Must I explain everything to you as if you were a child? Can you not stop and think for yourself? I had a vague suspicion that you were not a complete idiot."

The rage that Grimmjow expected to feel failed to make an appearance at Ulquiorra's icy words. Perhaps it was the veiled complement, which, coming from Ulquiorra, was enough to be creepy. Or perhaps it was the implication that he already had all the information he needed. He narrowed his eyes over Ulquiorra's shoulder, watching their enemy.

Watching their enemy watch them. And suddenly it was obvious.

"Tche. You wanted to be surrounded by human meat-shields. Make sure you could get a good look at him out in the open, knowing full-well that he wouldn't be able to risk attacking us. And you got to trick the girl into thinking you're kind and generous."

Ulquiorra quirked a single brow. "You assume I'm manipulating her," he stated more than asked.

Grimmjow made a face. "Are you kidding me? I know you're playing her like a fucking banjo."

Ulquiorra didn't even bother with a denial. "She makes it too easy," he said, narrowing his eyes as if annoyed with the woman in question. "But I have my reasons for indulging her, and they are none of your concern for now. You wanted to be involved in my dealings with the enemy. This is it."

"This?" Grimmjow repeated dubiously. He spread his arms with a scowl. "We're not doing anything."

"We're doing more than enough. Aizen-sama's arrangements should still stand, and by exposing ourselves without attacking we are testing this. Right now he is deciding whether or not to confront us or follow the agreement and ignore our presence."

Something clicked then and Grimmjow's eyes widened. "You've been putting on a show for him!"

"I have allowed him to witness us engaging in harmless activities, yes."

His hands curled into fists. "Why didn't you just tell me what we were doing in the first place?"

Ulquiorra gave him that look – the one that said so plainly that he considered him a non-factor. Unimportant. Useless. "I didn't see the point."

Grimmjow cracked. His fist shot out and connected solidly and satisfyingly with Ulquiorra's face. The fourth's head snapped back, and his arms unfolded to brace him against the parapet, stopping him from tumbling back off the roof. Grimmjow bared his teeth as Ulquiorra straightened and raised a hand to his lip, the corner of which had split. He stared indifferently at the blood on his fingers before raising his eyes to meet Grimmjow's furious stare.

"I don't see anyone else on this roof with you, you piece of shit," Grimmjow barked before Ulquiorra could retaliate. "We're the only ones left. Neliel is as good as useless for now, and you and I both know the human would run if she got the chance. That," he pointed savagely to the angel, "Is just one of our enemies. You expect me to be some sort of team with you when you didn't even bother telling me that we could be attacked at any moment? You didn't see the 'point'? How the fuck am I supposed to - " he cut off abruptly and Ulquiorra watched in silence as he turned and brutally kicked the wall next to them with a loud curse, leaving deep, radial cracks in the parapet.

"I am sorry."

Grimmjow froze. Stiffly, he turned his head to stare at the fourth. "What?" Ulquiorra's expression didn't exactly scream 'contrition'. The fourth tilted his head back and stared at the sky with a moody frown.

"It was not my intention to deceive you…I will consider your position more carefully from now on."

Grimmjow scoffed, even while inwardly reeling. He had never heard Ulquiorra apologize to anyone besides Aizen, and even then it had seemed empty and without any real import. This…this was different. And it made him feel even more murdery than usual. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away. "Whatever. So we're really just gonna stand here until that guy makes a move?"

"You would rather we attack and bring down the wrath of Heaven?"

"I'd rather we kill his ass and magically get away with it," Grimmjow muttered petulantly. Ulquiorra almost seemed to smirk.

"Yes, wouldn't that be nice…"

Grimmjow closed his eyes and pictured it for a moment. A grin curled over his lips. "…Yeah."

Grimmjow scowled at the sight that met them when he and Ulquiorra found their two female companions. They were surrounded by books - trust Neliel to track down the only damn tent in the area that wasn't trying to push junk or junk food. Less acceptable than the teetering piles of dog-eared paperbacks was the veritable crowd of men encircling the pair, their intentions no less clear than if they had all dropped their pants and begun pissing on the women's legs.

The princess was running her mouth about something or other, completely oblivious to the many pairs of eyes drinking in her curves. She had that crazed look that made him certain she was trying to explain how the power of rainbows could cure colds or something equally insane. The men – those that had the fortitude to follow her babbling train of thought – seemed caught between confusion and fascination. At least she had washed off her freaky black face-paint and looked less like a complete lunatic.

Behind Orihime, Nel was stroking the spine of a book that looked older than she was and smiling politely at the little boys trying to chat her up. Grimmjow sneered, feeling a territorial flair of annoyance that he instantly, and with great prejudice, began to squash. He looked to see Ulquiorra's reaction, and almost rolled his eyes as the sight of the fourth casually flipping through a magazine he had picked up.

"Hey, dipshit," he drawled, slouching over to Ulquiorra's side, "Why the heck are you just standing there letting those lowlifes drool all over the princess? I thought you wanted her for…whatever twisted shit it is you get off on." He loomed over Ulquiorra's shoulder, waiting to spot the slightest sign of weakness.

Ulquiorra spared the group a glance before arching an eyebrow up at him, not at all intimidated at having his personal space invaded by six feet of rippling muscle and malicious intent. "Assuming your crude assumptions have any merit, in what way do they obligate me to involve myself in that..." he gestured to them vaguely with flick of his hand, eyes dismissively back on his magazine, "Human nonsense."

Grimmjow smirked. Ulquiorra was almost tolerable when he hated humans. "Whatever. I assumed you wanted her for yourself. Maybe I'll have a taste then…" he dragged his tongue over a bared canine. He had absolutely zero intention of going near the crazy girl, but antagonizing Ulquiorra was more than worth the bluff.

Unfortunately, Ulquiorra wasn't taking the bait. He scoffed, snapping the magazine shut and placing back on the shelf. "What would you expect of me, Grimmjow? Should I bang on my chest and drag her home by her hair?"

"I would pay to see that."

Ulquiorra gave him a look that clearly said to stop saying stupid things. "I am not threatened by those trash. They are keeping her entertained and she is too naïve to recognize their motives in any case."

"Ulquiorra-san! Grimmjow-san!"

Orihime's scandalously exuberant cries cut off Grimmjow's next witty retort and both men turned to see her excitedly pushing through her circle of admirers. She approached them with a wide, relieved smile, leaving behind a sullen group that took one look at Grimmjow and immediately reassessed their odds of getting the girl. The openly pleased expression on her face literally made him feel queasy. It was no small relief that Neliel, following shortly behind the human, appeared thoroughly less animated.

"Are you okay?" Orihime asked, gravitating to Ulquiorra without a second thought and staring up with concern at the smear of blood on his lip. Grimmjow grinned – certain that he would forever cherish the memory of decking Ulquiorra solidly in the face.

Ulquiorra made a motion as if to touch the forgotten injury before furrowing his brow and slipping his hand discreetly back into his pocket. "I'm fine."

Grimmjow scoffed like a jeering child and felt minimal shame. Immaturity be damned.

"And?"

Grimmjow holstered his satisfaction when Nel appeared beside him, staring at him intently. He scowled as he caught her assessing gaze, laced with the same concern reflected in the princess's eyes. "And nothing. We had a long-distance staring contest and then he ran away."

Nel nodded. "You think he'll report our presence?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "Probably. But they don't know that Aizen's bit the dust, so it makes no difference."

"They don't know yet."

He narrowed his eyes. Nel looked worried, and not in that annoying womanly way. This was more of the 'shit's-gonna-hit-the-fan-eventually-and-I-don't-like-my-chances-when-it-does' kind of worry. He thought about her inability to manifest her zanpakutou and found himself gripping Pantera's hilt. He would not deal well with such complete vulnerability. That she was holding herself together so well almost impressed him.

"Ulquiorra!" he grunted, interrupting Ulquiorra's irritated protest to the princess's suggestion to heal him. Once annoyed green eyes focused on him, Grimmjow grabbed Nel by the arm. "We're leaving."

Orihime mechanically took the book that Nel shoved into her hands - "Please get this for me, Orihime," – and watched Grimmjow march her out of the shop, their forms disappearing behind the tent flaps. For the second time that day she was left with no understanding of her companion's departure.

"They're coming back right?" she questioned Ulquiorra, staring at the old, tattered copy of Lord of the Rings that Nel had handed her.

Ulquiorra turned away from her and wondered between two tables, tracing his fingers over the books piled on top of them. Ignoring her again. She was beginning to learn that this was his response to any question he didn't want to answer…or possibly didn't know the answer to. She sighed and moved to stand next to him, taking note of the books that seemed to catch his eye.

"Do you like bird watching?" she asked as he lingered over 'Bird Bingo'.

He didn't skip a beat. "What do you think?"

Orihime huffed, but found she wasn't truly annoyed by his sarcasm. In fact, a moment later she let out an unladylike snort of laughter. "I think you shouldn't knock it until you try it. Bird watching is very…um…peaceful."

"You mean to say tedious."

She ducked her head to hide her smile. "Perfect for you then, huh?"

She caught Ulquiorra tilting his head to peer at her from the corner of his eye and chuckled, playfully bumping her shoulder against his and utterly failing to budge him. "I'm just teasing, I know you're not that boring. Don't be such a fuddy-duddy."

He cocked his head at her, obviously completely oblivious to how cute he looked - like a grumpy kitten trying to figure out the human's strange mouth-sounds. The image of Ulquiorra as a black and white kitten hit her like a punch to the gut and she strangled a laugh. "Fluffy-duddy…" she mumbled distractedly.

Ulquiorra gave her up as a bad job and turned on his heel to resume his browsing. He was met with a wall of adolescent hormones and slowly raised his eyes to glare at the cocky looking human standing over him. While Grimmjow's towering figure had deterred the young men, Ulquiorra's smaller stature seemed to still leave them with some confidence. A tall blond man in his early twenties led a pack of smaller, weaker males.

"Dude," the snot-nosed human brat drawled, thumbs hooked defiantly in the belt of his jeans, "That your girlfriend or something?"

As one, every male turned their eyes to Orihime, who had wondered over to the counter and was paying for Nel's book, eyes glazed over and muttering about bells and litter boxes, a dreamy and frankly terrifying expression on her face. Ulquiorra assessed the trash before him in cold silence. They were about as threatening as gnats, but they had forfeited any right to be near the woman by trying to involving him in their maudlin affairs. Without saying a word, he turned around and grasped the oblivious woman by the hand, leading her from the tent with a firm tug.

"Ulquiorra-san?" she gasped, hastily grabbing her purchase from the counter with her free hand before being pulled into bright sunlight. She tossed a farewell over her shoulder to the store owner and new friends she had left inside. "What's wrong?" she asked, staring uncertainly at where Ulquiorra had unabashedly linked their fingers. Did he even realize that taking a girls hand and leading her somewhere was a romantic gesture?

Regardless, he wouldn't do this with Nel – she was sure of it. Contemplating this, she almost missed Ulquiorra's muttered reply of, "Pests."

"They were nice," she protested halfheartedly, stumbling in her effort to keep up with him. Upon review, there really wasn't much romantic about being pulled around like this. "Where are we going?"

"Back. My business here is concluded."

"What business here?" she demanded before narrowly avoiding two rampant children wielding candyfloss like weaponry and their haggard parents. She swerved out of their way, forcefully pulled back on track when Ulquiorra gave a sharp tug that uncomfortably jarred her wrist. "You mean with the…not-Shinigami?"

He grunted and Orihime dug her heels in. "Wait!"

Ulquiorra stopped, the pair of them now standing in front of a Victorian styled building boasting three different restaurants – an already established feature of the fairground that would remain after the rides and stores had been packed up.

Ulquiorra turned to face her with a displeased look. He still hadn't let go. Part of her was torn between wanting to give in and follow him home, but the part of her that she affectionately dubbed as 'strategist' insisted that any second Ulquiorra wasn't spending with her, he was using to plot something undoubtedly bad for the world in general. And hadn't she already decided to show him…

…everything?

"Can't we stay a little while longer? We didn't even go on any of the rides or play any games." The annoyed huff of air that he breathed through his nose almost made her flinch, but she rallied herself and stepped closer until their chests almost touched, placing a soothing hand over the two that were already linked. She spoke softly, as if to a skittish animal, noticing breathlessly how his cat-like pupils dilated into little circles. "I'd really like to spend some more time with you. I think you could have fun. Can't we at least get something to eat?"

She nodded pointedly at the Victorian building, painted in pastel greens and blues. When Ulquiorra's lips thinned in distaste she rolled her eyes. Enough babying the petulant Espada, it was his turn to be led. "Oh, don't be a weenie! Come on!" she cheered, pulling against his hand.

She grinned impishly when moments later, she felt his resistance give way and his quiet steps behind her.

"So Grimmjow punched you in the face, huh?"

Anyone else would have probably done a marvelous spit-take at that statement, but Ulquiorra calmly swallowed his tea and lowered his cup, peering through the steam at Orihime's sympathetic smile.

"Don't feel too bad. He chained me up and tried to strangle me. Poor guy has no social skills."

"Hn…" Ulquiorra's gaze drifted out over the balcony. She always wondered what he was thinking when his eyes wandered and smiled at the view. The Victorian building held a small seafood restaurant and sushi bar on the second story, and she had insisted on a balcony seat staring out over a park - complete with tall trees, pond, ducks and a quaint, arched bridge. Some people lounged on picnic blankets, tossing bread crumbs over the grass and enjoying the temporary sanctuary from the crowded fairground that continued behind the circle of trees.

Ulquiorra's arm rested along the wooden balcony, fingers drumming softly over the varnished wood. His attention seemed to be drawn to the ducks waddling about scavenging for bread. Orihime chuckled silently at the irony.

"But seriously though – how did Grimmjow-san even manage to make you bleed? You never bleed."

Eyes still on the ducks, Ulquiorra answered in a bored monotone, "The strength of our hierro is directly related to the density of reiatsu embedded within and over our skin. These gigai are designed to prevent our presence from being sensed…a decidedly difficult task if our bodies are made of and surrounded by energy."

"Ohhhh…So you're weaker?"

"Of course."

Orihime tutted, throwing her hands behind her head and imitating a confident smirk. "Is it really okay to be admitting that to me?" Ulquiorra's eyes snapped onto her and she raised her hands defensively. "Kidding, kidding."

Ulquiorra exhaled moodily. "Tiresome woman."

Orihime leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Why do you always call me that anyway? You know my name." There was no real censure in her voice, merely curiosity.

"Why do you insist on referring to me as a human? I distinctly remember telling you to stop."

Orihime gaped stupidly. "That's what it's about? You're getting back at me? That's a little immature for you, isn't it?"

Ulquiorra took another careful sip of tea before allowing himself to give her a disapproving look. "Don't be absurd. It's merely habitual."

She frowned sceptically. "Habit, eh? Nothing to do with you being angry with me?"

"I was under the impression you cared as little as I do about what I call you. Hardly fitting retribution for any annoyance you cause me then. I repeat – it's habitual. If you wish for me to refer to you by name, I will."

She nodded decisively. "Okay then. You're Ulquiorra and I'm Orihime." She winced internally – it was a cultural thing for first names to only be used by close friends, but she was positive that Ulquiorra would be displeased with having human customs shoved on him, regardless of how it was done. So she would be 'Orihime' for him. It wasn't like he knew the significance, or would even care if he did.

"Fine," he acquiesced, but then stared blankly at her outstretched hand.

"I'm reintroducing us," she explained brightly, reaching over and grabbing his hand when he made no move to respond. She gave three vigorous shakes and then released him, leaning back in her chair. "And just so you know, I really did forget you didn't like being called that. So much happened, it just slipped my mind."

He blinked lazily. "Understandable."

"Well, I'm glad we worked that out. I'm going to use the bathroom."

Ulquiorra gave her a sharp look. "I will know if you leave this building."

She waved a placating hand. "Relax, I'm not going anywhere. I'm having a good time."

Orihime contentedly emptied her bladder, stomach rumbling in anticipation of their food. She was hoping she could convince Ulquiorra to stay for the rest of the day. She was considering the possibilities if he agreed as she washed her hands. He was so waspish and yet so engaging. She...she actually liked him, come to think of it. Not just in that pitying 'oh-you-poor-misguided-Espada' way, but in a genuine 'he's-fun-to-be-around' way. His personality reminded her of pure liquorice – dark, bitter and intense but also…addictive. She chuckled to herself. An acquired taste, to be sure.

It was as she approached the paper towel dispenser that she saw it. There, perched atop the shiny, gunmetal grey dispenser sat a small black cell phone. Every muscle in her body seized.

This could be her only opportunity to let her friends know she was alive and well. Her only chance to confirm that they were all okay. She chewed her lip, hesitating. Cold fear washed over her – fear at being confronted by the phone's owner as well as the greater fear of Ulquiorra discovering her. She needed to move fast.

She nabbed the phone and darted into one of the stalls, flipping the lock hastily. Not that that would deter Ulquiorra. Trembling fingers dialed Ichigo's number. It went straight to voicemail – his phone was off. With growing nerves, she dialed Uryuu, listening to each ring with ever-growing desperation.

Please pick up, Ishida-kun...

On the balcony, Ulquiorra slowly drummed his fingers against the lacquered wooden table and watched the ducks.

A/N: If you think that's a bad cliffhanger, just wait...

I would love to hear from all of you :) I do this for you guys, and hearing your thoughts makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.