"Is something wrong with Uryu?" Orihime asked Ichigo and Chad during lunchtime the following day at school.
"What are you talking about?" Ichigo took another bite of his sandwich.
"He is bothered by something." Chad agreed.
"Aw, he probably just doesn't like not being able to fight anymore." Ichigo said. "Nothing to worry about."
"I guess so." Orihime said doubtfully, glancing over to where Uryu was eating his lunch alone.
Uryu felt her eyes on him, and it didn't help his mood to know she was concerned about him, since he had to deal with Nemu walking him to school like he was a little boy again. Already cranky from lack of sleep, having her and Orihime be so concerned and protective of him just further soured his mood. He hurriedly ate the rest of his lunch, wanting to get back to the classroom to have some time to rest before class started.
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Ichigo barely kicked Uryu's desk, but it was enough to jolt him awake. "You know, there's more to life than staying up late studying every night. Let someone else have the #1 ranking for a change."
"What I do is none of your business!" he snapped back, relieved that Ichigo was once again clueless.
"Yeah, whatever." Ichigo replied and went to sit down at his own desk.
Uryu was glad when school was over for the day, until he found Nemu waiting for him in the same exact spot he had left her in the morning. They started walking back to his house in tense silence. About halfway there, Nemu suddenly paused. "What is it?" he asked her irritably.
She didn't respond at first, then suddenly she leapt into action. "Get down!" she cried, shoving him facedown into the sidewalk, just in time to save him from the Hollow's attack.
Uryu didn't see what happened next, he heard the battle, but his glasses had broken when she pushed him down. By the time he got his spare pair on, the fight was over. He saw Nemu standing in front of him, breathing hard and her Quincy dress was stained with fresh blood. He was surprised to see her zanpakuto in her hand, he didn't even know she had one. It was gleaming in the afternoon sun. "You're hurt!" he exclaimed, feeling stupid as soon as he said something so obvious. This was just not his day...
"It's nothing, Master Uryu." Nemu panted before collapsing.
Uryu stood up and looked at her, knowing he couldn't carry her in his arms the rest of the way back home, but he could still carry her. Bending down, he put her arms around his neck and then stood up, and she remained still, draped against his back. Bending down again to grab her zanpakuto, he decided to leave his books there and come back for them later. He usually wasn't so glad to reach home, but he usually didn't have an injured woman with him either. Climbing up the stairs was harder than expected, but he managed, breathing a sigh of relief when he entered his room. Gently laying Nemu down on his bed, he quickly went back to his door, closing and locking it before getting his first aid kit.
"This might hurt a little." he said when he noticed she had regained consciousness and was watching him tend to her wounds.
"My wounds are not serious, I'll recover shortly. Were you hurt?" Nemu asked.
"No, thanks to you, the Hollow didn't hurt me." he reassured her.
"I'm glad. I think the Hollow was after me, not you. You probably don't interest Hollows anymore." she said.
"I suppose I should be glad of that." he remarked tightly as he finished dressing her wounds. "That's done, I'll be back in a few minutes." Heading down to the kitchen, it occurred to him that he hadn't seen Nemu eat since she arrived. He didn't know how long Soul Reapers could last without food, but it couldn't be that long, given how much Renji ate. That must be why she was so weakened by a fight with a minor Hollow. He had been so stupid, not remembering that and letting her go hungry. Looking through the cupboards and refrigerator, he assembled a tray with restorative and filling snacks, along with some tea. When he returned to his room, she looked like she was sleeping, but as soon as he set the tray down next to her, she opened her eyes. "This will help you get your strength back."
"I'm sorry to be a burden to you." she whispered. "I'm supposed to be helping you."
"Don't talk. Eat while I catch up on my homework." he ordered her. It was easier to concentrate than it had been last night, since he had no desire to look at her now, not when her Quincy dress was torn and bloodied. Before he knew it, there was a knock on his door, and he looked at his clock. It was dinner time already, only the servants would knock on his door, his father rarely even bothered coming to his room. "I'll be back, it's time for me to eat." he told Nemu. Opening the door just enough to leave, he told the housekeeper to not enter his room for any reason.
"You're late." Ryuken told his son as he sat down at the table. Uryu didn't bother to respond, he just stared at his plate as he ate. "Is the blood on your shirt the reason why?"
Uryu stared up at his father in surprise. He had completely forgotten to change his shirt, Nemu must have bled on him when he carried her. "There was a fight at school and I was too close." he replied with a half-truth.
"I see. So you were clumsy and not paying attention to your surroundings?" Ryuken asked.
"I've had my fill." Uryu stated, putting his fork down on his plate and standing up. "I've got work to finish."
"I hope you put more effort into it than you did that little story." Ryuken said to his son's retreating back, taking another bite of his dinner.
"I feel much better now." Nemu said when Uryu returned, locking his door once again.
"Good, then you can put this on." he told her, getting a Quincy robe from his closet and handing it to her. "I'll make you a new dress tomorrow unless your shihakusho is available?"
"I left it at Kisuke Urahara's shop when I got the dress." she informed him. "Are you going to turn the lights off again so I can change?"
"Oh yes, of course. You don't need the light to see?" he asked as he flipped the light switch off.
"To change into this robe, no." she said, and he could hear her movements, turning the light back on when they stopped, then went back to his desk to finish catching up on his homework, stopping only when he couldn't stop yawning anymore.
"I'll...uh...sleep in my chair tonight I guess." Uryu realized he couldn't ask Nemu to move out of his bed. She surprised him by standing up.
"I'm recovered enough, Uryu. May I sleep by your window?" she asked.
"Okay." he said, tossing the bloody dress into the trash before getting into his bed. He wasn't sure how long he laid there before he heard a faint noise. Looking around, he realized it was coming from Nemu. She was looking out his window at the night sky, quietly singing something. He couldn't make out the words, but the tone was bittersweet. He put his head back on his pillow, the image of her bathed in the moonlight with such a yearning expression on her face as she sang was the most hauntingly beautiful thing he ever remembered seeing. What surprised him was that he felt himself getting very sleepy. It took him no time at all to fall asleep listening to her.