Orihime had told Eri that she was wearing her father's clothing because hers had become dirty while cleaning… and grass-stained while "lying" in the yard. Eriko had given her an unimpressed look but said nothing. So after doing the girl's shopping, they went back into Karakura to Orihime's house for her to change her clothes. She also put an overnight bag together and a couple changes of clothes that she might leave over there… just in case. She told Eriko that the bag contained the clothes her father had lent to her and a change of clothes for Kazui, then distracted the girl by proposing they go do purikura.
There was an arcade near the grocery store just inside of Naruki City, and the redhead pulled into the parking lot and got out, taking the girl by the elbow and going into the obnoxiously loud, colorful space.
"Have you ever done purikura before, Eri?"
"No, my father has a weird thing about photographs."
"What do you mean?"
Eriko rolled her eyes. "He thinks he won't show up on film so he never wants to do things like that."
Orihime rolled her eyes around in two full rotations. "What, does he think he's some kind of vampire? That's silly." Orihime laughed and led the girl to an area that was filled with several photobooths. "Is there any one you want to try?"
"I don't know," she said. Eriko then shook her head. "You pick one."
Orihime smiled and nodded, pulling Eriko past the newer, shinier ones and toward the back, to a much older, dingy looking set-up. "This here is the way to go. Not as expensive, not a high quality, but it doesn't have the filters that make you look like some kind of alien anime character." She pushed the girl inside and started using the provided stylus on the large touch screen menu. "Do you want a beach background? Galaxy? Winter? Cityscape? Ninja?" Orihime asked as she scrolled through options and a green screen dropped behind them.
"Oooh! The winter one looks creepy," Eriko said pointing to the scene with the white ground and dark sky. There was one lonely skeletal looking tree. "I don't like that one. The galaxy one looks pretty."
Orihime spared a glance at the girl. She was right; the winterscape looked uncannily like her father's homeland. "Galaxy it is, then!" she said with a smile, selecting that one and a four-pose package. "Okay, we'll get a countdown and then we have to pose. I say we blow a kiss for the first one, okay?"
Eriko nodded and did as instructed. She felt silly, but Orihime was trying to keep her attention from the fact that she was having a bad day.
The flashbulb went off. "You pick the next pose, Eri!" Orihime called out with a peal of giggles as the screen counted down from ten.
Per usual, Eriko held to fingers up in a peace sign just as the camera went off. This was fun. "This is ridiculous but awesome."
"Right?!" Orihime agreed. She wasn't putting on a show for the girl, either. It had been a long time since she had done something like this and she was genuinely enjoying herself. "Let's do serious, pondering faces, next," she said, standing up straight, back to back with the girl, her thumb and forefinger framing her chin thoughtfully, looking down the camera lens with an arched brow.
Eriko pulled her face into a serious look that could rival her father's. She couldn't resist giggling after the picture was snapped. "How many pictures do we get?"
"One more, you can pick the pose!"
"Let's blow raspberries or stick out our tongues!"
Orihime bent down a bit, pressing the side of her cheek into Eriko's and stuck her tongue out as the flash went off. "Oh! That was fun. Let's decorate them. I'm going to text your dad and ask him if he wants us to go to the grocery store for him since it's next door," she said, passing the stylus to Eri and showing her the options to put digital stickers on or how to write with glittery and glowing script.
Eriko looked over the options, only picking a couple for the photo with them sticking their tongues out. She had a monocle on Orihime and a fancy mustache on her own face. The girl laughed. "I like this one."
Orihime glanced over and laughed. "That's hilarious!"
"You should let Dad do his thing. He's gets agitated when he can't do his routine," Eriko said as she scrolled through more options to decorate the other photos.
Orihime hummed, appreciating the girl's concern for her father. "That may be true, but grown ups have to be accommodating from time to time. I'm sure he can handle it. Plus, he's having us over as company today, so I think he expects a bit of a shake up. If he prefers to do it himself, he'll let me know," she said. She didn't mean to put on the mom hat, but she had anyway. She sent the message out to Ulquiorra.
- Right next door to the grocery store. Want us to pick anything up?
The man in question was currently holding a bokken out towards Kazui and circling around the child. Somehow the idiot kid had challenged him and he took the bait. So far they had been sizing each other up. Ulquiorra really wanted to see what the son of a Shinigami could do. "Well, are you going-"
Bzzt! Bzzt!
"Weapon down, Kazui. Your mother texted."
The boy groaned. "Mom!" A long, dramatic sigh followed as the boy lowered his bokken.
Ulquiorra took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the message.
-Maybe something for lunch and dinner? I'm not sure. I always go shopping on Saturday. Is Eriko behaving?
Orihime smiled. "He's fine, you can stop worrying," she said to the girl as she typed out a reply.
- She's perfect. She's worried about you though, whoa. She interrogated me about my intentions toward you, lol. Anyway, send me a list of what you think you need and we'll pick it up. I'll take care of lunch and dinner.
There wasn't any way he was going to send her that list. He would just go to the store a different day.
-It's fine. Really. I'll get the stuff a different day. Why is she worrying? Um, Kazui figured things out.
"Excuse me a minute, Eriko. I have to- Don't talk to strangers and stay right here," she said, stepping away from the girl. Her face fell.
- Shit, are you serious? Is he freaking out? You didn't tell him we're having sex, right?
Ulquiorra's nose scrunched up as he read the message. Where in the world had she gotten that?
- No, he knows I'm not exactly human.
Well, that was different. Probably better, she hoped.
- Pfew. Don't scare me like that! Was he totally excited? He usually is… Anyway I'll tell you what Eri said when I get back and we're alone. It was cute. And a little scary. She takes after you, LOL 3
His lips twitched at her response.
-Totally excited. Wants to fight me with his Zanpaktou. She is my daughter. She should take after me. Kazui takes after Ichigo when he has a bokken in his hand.
Orihime smirked.
- Good. So you know what to expect.
She sent the message before she realized what she said. What did she mean… Oh. OH. Oh no. "Eriko… Eriko!"
Eriko was looking at another machine when she heard Orihime. She turned around and looked at the woman. "What?"
"Just hold my hand, sweetie. Take me back to our machine. Did you get the print-out? Were you able to email a copy?" Orihime's hands were trembling. She was trying not to fall into the black hole her mind was tugging her toward.
"I had them sent to my phone," Eriko said with a slight frown. "Why are you being spastic? You're totally freaking out."
The left side of her lips twitched up and she faked a chuckle. "Kazui says I'm 'glitching'. I, um, don't remember some things from when I was a little older than you, but once in awhile I remember something and it… um… Ah," Orihime winced and clutched at her head. "It just gives me a bit of a headache sometimes. I need to sit down. We need ice cream and then I'll feel better." Orihime passed Eriko her purse. "There is a Seventeen Ice machine over by the service counter. Get yourself one and if there is mint chocolate chip, I'll have that," she said, sliding down the side of the machine until she sat on the floor.
"Are you okay? I mean not just on the surface but are you really okay?"
Orihime looked up at the girl with a pained expression. "I don't know, honey. I'll be okay in just a minute, though."
"You should talk to someone." Eriko turned and walked away going over to the vending machine that Orihime had indicated. She inserted the money and make her selection, coming back to the redhead with two mint chocolate chip cones. "We should call my dad."
"Let's just wait a minute," she said, already starting to relax. She took her ice cream and opened it, taking a bite and letting the flavor melt onto her tongue. "I think it's getting better. Maybe I should talk to someone, though. I can talk to you a bit, if you don't mind. Did your dad tell you he used to know me before he met Yuko?"
Eriko shook her head. Her dad didn't talk about the time before Yuko or after. It seemed like the man's life started when she was born. "He just said he knew you. He's known you for a long time."
Orihime nodded. "That's what he told me, too. The problem is, I don't remember it. But, I don't think he's lying to me. I really think he means it. He knows everyone else I know, too, so it makes sense. I just… sometimes he says something or makes a certain face and I feel like I can almost remember. Then my brain stops me. Do you ever forget what you went into a room for right after you go in there? It's like that. But a lot more intense."
Eriko nodded. She had felt like that loads of times. "Maybe you should ask my dad about something no one else would know. Like a test."
Orihime stopped mid lick and looked at the girl. "That's a really good idea, Eriko. I'm glad I talked to you." She gave her a smile and went back to the ice cream, feeling a bit better.
The girl smiled at Orihime before she ate her ice cream. "I've eaten so much junk today," she said after she was done.
Orihime finished her ice cream and nodded. "Right, let's go shopping. We're going to get something for lunch and dinner. Let's get some healthy stuff." She stood up then and led the way to a wastebasket, tossing her ice cream trash inside. "Oh, can I see the pictures?" she asked, remembering why they were there.
"Sure," Eriko said and pulled her phone from her pocket. Opening the first text message, she tapped on the photo and then gave it to Orihime. "All of them look good."
Orihime laughed and sent the link to herself. "These are adorable. I'm sending this to your father. I'm sure he will be totally bewildered."
"Ha! He might call you and ask what you've done to me," Eriko joked. "And ewww healthy stuff. Pizza."
"Healthy pizza, okay?" she said, tapping out a message to Ulquiorra.
- Healthy pizza is on the menu today. Also, I'm sorry in advance, LOL.
She sent the link.
Ulquiorra had blocked every swing and jab that Kazui had thrown at him with only one hand. He called for another halt as his phone buzzed again. "Go get some water, you're sweating," he told Kazui before looking at the text message.
What the hell?
-WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CHILD? Also pizza? How is pizza healthy?
- You'll see. And she, no, WE, are adorable. Those kisses we're blowing are for you. 3
-Why does my child have facial hair? We're just eating pizza today or did you have another form of sustenance for us?
- Just trust me.
Orihime took Eriko to the grocery store and they loaded up on vegetables, whole wheat flour, some cheese and some minced chicken. They also got fixings for a salad and then Orihime looked at the girl and asked, "What do you want to have for lunch? The pizza is going to take some time so I think we should have it for dinner. We could do a noodle dish or we could buy some onigiri and have some grilled fish from the deli so we can eat right away? What are you in the mood for?"
"ONIGIRI!" the girl said, excited. Her dad rarely bought the packaged rice balls. "Yes! Grilled fish and onigiri please! We have some left over rice from last night so Kazui can eat that too."
Orihime grinned and let the girl take the shopping cart from her. "Go ahead and pick out a bunch of onigiri that you think people would like. I like pickled plum and Kazui likes tuna mayonnaise. I'm going to go pick out a bottle of wine as a thank you gift for your father. He's not letting me pay for Kazui's lessons," she said as an excuse. She just wanted to make sure Ulquiorra's sleepover plan was a success.
Eriko took the woman's advice and picked out three for each person. She figured that if someone had problem, they could trade for another one. It would be like lunch at school. She had seen kids trade bentos. This grocery shopping for other people when there was no list to follow was hard. Her father always had a list with the exact amounts of each food or ingredient to purchase. A sigh left her and she wondered if Orihime used a list.
Orihime picked out a bottle of wine that she thought would pair well with the pizza recipe she had in mind and then walked out to where Eriko was. "All set? Got all the onigiri? I was thinking grilled saury for lunch. Everybody likes that, right?"
The girl looked at Orihime and nodded. "Sure, I got an assortment but I'm not sure if-I don't know how to grocery shop without a list."
Orihime looked into the cart and smiled at the girl. "Looks like you're doing just fine to me. It's a bit much, but you've seen Kazui eat. I'm almost as bad as him!" she said, winking at the girl. She took the cart and grabbed the fish and then went to the registers. "We have one more stop after this; there is a home goods store just down the street. We're getting a pizza stone."
"Why would you put stones on pizza?"
Orihime laughed. "You don't; you cook the pizza on a stone sheet. It makes it cook nicely and quickly so that the top doesn't get burned and the dough cooks all the way through."
Understanding bloomed on Eriko's face and she nodded. "We never have pizza because I showed my dad what an American pizza was like and I wanted to try one. He said it was a mess and that we couldn't have stuff like that. He's weird sometimes."
"Agree," she said with a giggle.
"I yield, Cifer-sensei!" Kazui was exhausted. He was an athletic kid, but holding a bokken in a human body was a lot different than holding a zanpakuto. He was wiped out.
Ulquiorra snorted and then raised an eyebrow at the kid. "Do you?" he asked. "You haven't even hit me once."
The boy scoffed. "If my mother would ever let me have any fun with my zanpakuto, I might have a chance." He said the word, mother, as if it was somewhat derogatory.
"Your mother is protecting you from Hollows," Ulquiorra replied, giving the boy a stern look. "She almost died fighting hollows. She knows what she is doing."
"But I could protect myself if she let me train! I could protect her and Eri!"
Shaking his head, Ulquiorra walked over to where the boy stood and snatched the bokken from his hands. "False bravery. That's what almost killed your mother. She thought she could take on Arrancars because she wanted to protect people. Your father almost did the same stupid move. Think before you act."
"A lot of good thinking does when a hollow is about to swallow you up. I need to be able to fight!" the boy whined. "I will win because I have to win!"
This kid was just like his father. What would happen if something happened to Eriko and she was kidnapped by some conniving hollows? Would Kazui disregard rules just to save his friend? "Stand up and stretch then you can do some laps around the property until your mom gets home… I mean here."
The boy groaned and did as he was told. He was on his fifth lap around the property when the Halcyon van rolled up the driveway, and when he got back to the front of the house, he collapsed on the walkway, panting dramatically.
"So, Cifer-sensei put you through your paces today, did he, Monkey?"
A whined groan was her answer.
Orihime chuckled as she loaded her arms full of bags and stepped over her son's body on the way into the house. "I stopped at home and brought you a sweatshirt in case it gets chilly later, we're staying for dinner."
"Huh?" the kid said, following his mother with his eye. If he wasn't mistaken, she was walking kind of funny. She was acting happier than usual. Whatever.
"We have food for lunch, son," Orihime said before disappearing inside.
The boy was up in a flash and crowding his mother. "What did you get? What did you get?! I'm starving!"
"Ask your friend, Kazui."
"What did you get, Eri?" Kazui asked her as she came inside. Kazui's hair was matted down around his ears from sweat.
The girl looked at Kazui and wrinkled her nose. "You're a mess. What did you do to my dad to make him demand you run laps?"
"That is none of your business, Eriko," Ulquiorra replied, coming behind her. He had finished putting away the bokken and other stuff they hadn't gotten around to using. "What is for lunch? Did you two buy pizza?"
"Nope. We got something better."
"Kazui, I love you, but you stink. Please go clean up and get changed for lunch while we set everything up, right, Cifer-sensei?" the boy's mother asked.
"Kazui, do as your mother tells you. Eriko, tell me what you two purchased for lunch."
"You're a spoilsport, Dad. We got onigiri and grilled fish!"
"Yes!" Kazui said, skedaddling toward the bathroom.
Orihime chuckled as she started unpacking the bags. "Oh, Ulquiorra, I got you something," she said, pulling the bottle of wine from a paper bag..
The man gave the woman a suggestive look and walked over to where she stood with the bottle. "Nice, does this go well with rice balls and fish or pizza?"
"Pizza," she said with a smirk. "I promised healthy pizza, which takes time. By the time it's ready, it will be an appropriate wine hour. Oh! Also, I have a bag with the clothes that you lent me in the backseat of the van, behind the driver's seat, if you wouldn't mind getting it and putting it in your room..." she winked at him after she was sure Eriko wasn't looking. There was a bunch of her own clothing in it as well that she meant to leave there.
"Very well, Woman. Anything else I can grab or do?"
She bit her lip, looking him up and down. "I can think of some things. But for now, just the bag," she said in a soft, feminine tone.
It was Eriko who sighed in a disgusted manner. "Just because I'm not looking, doesn't mean I'm deaf. I'm going to go fix my problem and be in my room."
It made Ulquiorra laugh silently to himself as she stomped up the stairs. He never knew what to expect with his human child. She was an odd one. "I'll be right back, Woman."
Orihime giggled, slightly self-conscious. Oh well, she thought. Eriko may as well get used to it now. She didn't think the attraction she felt for her father was going to fade anytime soon.
Ulquiorra left the house and went out to the van. He saw the bag and retrieved it from where it sat. Saying nothing as he reentered the home, he walked the bag upstairs and put it on the bed. Curiosity was eating away at him. Should he see what was in the bag or just leave it? He decided to leave it and go back downstairs.
"So? What do you think?" Orihime asked, a bit nervous about his reaction. It was a bit presumptuous of her, but he had said his home was her home.
"What do I think concerning what?"
"The contents of the bag, silly."
Oh. He was supposed to look inside of it. "I did not want to invade your privacy. Do you want me to go back upstairs and look?"
She chuckled. "It's just some of my things, in case we have any repeat sleepovers," she said quietly. "Where do you keep your mixing bowls?"
His eyes went wide as he looked at Orihime. Was she some kind of mind reader? "I was going to suggest you do something like that but… I was afraid of being rejected." Ulquiorra walked over to the tall cabinet where he kept things he rarely used. "You really need to learn your way around my home, Woman."
She laughed. "I wouldn't reject you, Ulquiorra. Even if I tried, I could never succeed." She waited for him to bring her the bowl as she spread out the lunch food on the dining table, grabbing some chopsticks from a drawer she had correctly guessed contained them, and set them beside each seat, and cut up some cucumbers and tomatoes onto a plate that she had also correctly guessed the location of. "So, you don't think it was too forward of me?" she finally asked.
"No; like I said, I want you here, Orihime. I want Kazui here, too, although he's a baiting little shit at times," Ulquiorra stated. He looked closely at the redhead. "Why would you think it's too forward?"
Her mouth had fallen open at the language he had chosen to use referencing her son, and it took her a moment to recover from the shock. "Uh, um… it just seems unladylike, I guess," she said, turning her face away from him as her brows knit together. She didn't like what he had said.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said in a flat tone. She was having second thoughts about this sleepover now, though. She didn't know if she wanted Kazui staying here.
Ulquiorra sighed. "I call Eriko the same thing at times. I do not like it when children taunt me. He thinks the same way your husband did. Let's enter a fight without formulating a strategy. If you find offense with that, then I'm sorry. I do not mince words, nor do I lie."
She said nothing, pursing her lips and keeping her hands busy. Her Mama Bear rankles had been raised. They didn't go down easily. Orihime seemed to be sweetness and light but she was formidable when she felt her loved ones were being threatened.
He was trying not to become irritated or frustrated with this situation. It was rather new for him to open his home to anyone. Maybe he shouldn't have called the kid a little shit, but he was; Kazui was hard-headed and stubborn. He gave a nod, seeming to come to a decision. "I'll be upstairs for a moment."
"Fine," was all she said. She still couldn't look at him at that moment. She was afraid she might say something she couldn't take back.
She listened to him go up the stairs and sighed. She needed to think this through. What was it about it that bothered her? It wasn't the criticism; that was valid. She knew that he was right about both Kazui and Ichigo in that each of them had a tendency to leap before they looked. They also both had a sometimes cocky streak. Still… Was it just the disrespectful language?
Probably.
She would never say that about someone. Ichigo would never- maybe he would, but surely not about his own son. Then again, when he passed away Kazui was still a sweet, cute little boy with minimal attitude, not the headstrong preteen he was now. She sighed. Maybe she was overreacting.
As Ulquiorra walked to his bedroom, he thought about it. He could get angry if anyone said a harsh word about his daughter unless it was a valid point. Eriko could be a brat. Eriko was a child. He sighed as he sat down on his bed beside that bag. Maybe this entire thing was a mistake. Was he ready to take things this far? He'd never been a relationship type person. Hell, he avoided most social interactions unless required. This wasn't fair to any of them. As soon as Orihime realized who he was, she would be gone.
Kazui got out of the shower and trotted back into the kitchen before anyone else arrived. "Where is everybody?" he asked his mother before plopping down at the table and staring down the food with hungry eyes.
"I don't know," she replied with another sigh. "If you want to take a tuna mayonnaise onigiri, go ahead. At least one is for you."
She smiled at her son as he grabbed it and started gobbling.
Eriko heard Kazui so she left her room and went downstairs. She looked around for her father. He wasn't in the room. She gave Orihime a questioning look as she walked to the table. "Is it time to eat?" the girl asked.
"Yes, go ahead," she said, deciding it was unfair to make two hungry kids wait for their parents to get over themselves. She did not eat, though.
Fifteen minutes passed. He could hear the kids talking downstairs. Ulquiorra took his phone out of his pocket. It would be best just to text her.
-You are angry with me. I can tell. I will not apologize for saying that about Kazui. All children are like that. You were like that. Your husband was like that. If you wish to go home tonight, I will understand. I'm doing nothing but making you unhappy everytime I turn around.
Orihime was surprised to hear her phone chime, and picked it up off the counter, walking back into the kitchen to read it. She scowled in confusion before replying.
- I am not angry. I was shocked at your language, but not at the sentiment. You don't make me unhappy; I don't know where you get that idea. But if you'd rather we leave I can start the pizza dough and then leave instructions with Eri. LMK
Ulquiorra sighed as his phone buzzed. His mouth drew into a thin line as he read the message. "Orihime! Could you please come up here and help me?" Ulquiorra called out.
She nearly jumped. She looked over to the kids, not bothering to hide her surprise or worry, and said, "I better go make sure everything is okay," before going up the stairs. She knocked on his door and waited.
He had expected her to just walk in so he was confused when the knock came. "Come in," he said from where he sat. When she walked in, Ulquiorra just looked at Orihime.
She closed the door behind her after a moment and leaned against it. "Everything okay?" she asked after several moments of silence.
"No, and you know it's not. I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here," he said.
"I want to stay. Just because we have a disagreement doesn't mean you make me unhappy," she murmured. "It's inevitable that we won't always see eye to eye."
Ulquiorra gave her a glance before nodding. He wiped his hands on his shorts and then stood up, walking over to where Orihime stood. "Good. Um, I'm going to clean out a drawer in my dresser for you to put your things," he murmured, his fingers touching her neck.
Wow, that was a quick tonal shift, she thought, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Um, thanks. It's not much, just a couple things."
"I'm sorry for the language I used, Woman. I'm used to speaking my mind."
She nodded. "We have different backgrounds. There's going to be a bit of a learning curve, I guess. I'm sure you'll come to find things about me that drive you crazy, in time."
"Heh, there's already stuff about you that drives me crazy," Ulquiorra said. He took a deep breath and looked up as he exhaled, trying to keep his composure. "Top drawer, right side is mostly empty. Please use that if you'd like."
"Are you alright?" Orihime asked in a tiny voice. He looked emotional.
"I'm fine, Orihime. Just trying to keep from having my way with you again." Ulquiorra's mouth tilted up slightly. "I need to learn restraint."
She chuckled. "Same, my dear. Same. Go down and eat before the kids take it all. I'll take care of my things and be right down. Save me a pickled plum onigiri," she said and pecked his lips before going to her bag.
"Yes, Woman. I will do that. See you in a few minutes."
Orihime smiled at him as he left the room, and then her face relaxed into an expression of mild concern. She and Ulquiorra were clearly jumping into this headfirst, and despite her insistence that they keep their relationship from the kids, they were figuring it out much faster than she had anticipated. This disagreement only proved what she already knew would happen; that there would be some rocky times between them, especially as they tried to get to know one another and mesh their opposing personalities. She hoped to shield the children from that as much as possible.
On top of that… She didn't actually know him that well. She knew there was a crazy amount of chemistry; that much was obvious. She enjoyed his company and she respected him and loved how he was with the kids for the most part. But why did she feel so sure in the idea that she loved him? It seemed premature. It seemed crazy.
And yet, here she was, unpacking underwear and a few outfits into his dresser. After she was done, she sat on his bed for a moment.
He had to be telling the truth. There had to be some history between them that she couldn't recall. Maybe she would ask Uryu to help her recover her memories. Maybe she would feel better if she knew.
She took a deep breath and smiled. This would work. The secrets locked inside her mind would explain everything, she convinced herself as she got up and went down to join the others.
So, how do you think the relationship is progressing? Easy? Too easy? Too difficult? Let us know. Thanks for reading!