Uryu wasn't sure how long he stood there with his mouth open staring at Nemu like an idiot, but he was sure it was too long. "You...what?"
"I am here to serve you." Nemu repeated as she stood back up. "It was because of your fight with Captain Kurotsuchi that you lost your Quincy powers, wasn't it?"
Uryu's temper flared at that reminder. "It would have been worth it if I had killed him!"
"So I am here to help you." she continued, ignoring his angry outburst, since it was far milder than Mayuri's. "Would you like me to start with helping you with your clothing?"
Uryu couldn't stop himself from blushing as much from having a beautiful woman offer to help him undress as it was because he realized he must look ridiculous with his shirt still half over his head. "No! I don't need help from a Soul Reaper, get back to the Soul Society where you belong!" He furiously pulled his shirt back down, not wanting to undress in her presence.
"I can't do that. I have my orders." she stated calmly.
"You want to trick me into becoming a research specimen for that monster you work for, don't you?" he demanded to know.
"Without your powers, you would be of no value to him." Nemu pointed out.
Uryu had no comeback for that, so he just glared at her and went to his desk to start on his homework. He could only half-concentrate on it though, Nemu just stood in the same spot, but was quiet and still as a statue every time he looked back at her. Even her spirital pressure seemed muted. It was unnerving to know he was being watched by her, even though she might as well be a mannequin for all her liveliness, or lack thereof. "Why are you so quiet?!" he blurted out in frustration.
"Do you need me to talk to you?" she asked.
"No." he admitted. "But..."
"So you want me to talk, but you don't?" she asked, genuninely curious. "Is that normal for humans?"
"I...guess." Uryu gave up on his homework and slammed his textbook shut. "You're not going to leave, are you?"
"No, not unless you do or my orders change." she replied.
"I thought so." Uryu turned off the lights and got into his bed before getting undressed. It bothered him to leave his clothes in an undignfied heap on the floor, but it couldn't be helped under the circumstances.
"Might I ask you a question, Master Ishida?" Nemu asked moments later when she picked up his clothes and put them in the hamper.
"Don't call me Master Ishida. My name is Uryu." he told her, realizing she was probably used to picking up after her Captain. "What do you want to ask me?" He might as well talk to her, he wasn't going to be able to sleep anyway.
"Are you deformed in some way?" she asked him.
"Huh? Why are you asking me that?" That wasn't one of the questions he was expecting.
"You refused my help with your clothing, but you won't take it off until you're in your bed." she pointed out. "Is that one of the reasons you refused to be a research specimen?"
"No, I'm not defective!" he snapped. Except I'm not a Quincy anymore...He couldn't help but think. "I'm just not getting undressed in front of you!"
"My apologies. But you don't need to worry about me. I'm not human, but I have seen lots of human bodies dissected. If it would help you feel more comfortable with my presence, I can take off my clothes." she offered.
"No!" he blurted out. "Just...go to sleep or whatever it is you do!"
"As you wish, Mas...Uryu." she replied.
The silence that followed wasn't as welcome as he thought it would be, since he could still see her. The light dress was visible even in the darkness of his room, and a Soul Reaper in a Quincy outfit, sent to serve the last one, was beyond absurd. He should hate Nemu for it, but he just couldn't. He saw firsthand how she was treated by her Captain, and how loyal she was in spite of that. Which is why that even if he couldn't hate her, he'd be a fool to ever trust her.