Uryu could sense Chad watching him as he entered the supermarket. He wasn't happy with the surveillance, but as he paid for the pike, he realized that he should be glad it wasn't Orihime, she might have started suggesting some 'recipes' for it. When he reached home, he paused before going inside. Turning around, he looked at the tree Chad and Noba were hiding behind. "I told you I didn't need any help. Good evening, you two." he said loudly before entering his house. Hurrying to the kitchen, he hid away most of the pike, leaving out only enough for a light meal for Nemu. He quickly prepared it and put it and some tea on the tray and took it up to her.
"I hope you like it." Uryu said as he handed her the tray. "But if you wouldn't mind, can I take your measurements before you eat? I need to start on your replacement dress."
"Of course." she agreed, putting the tray down with obvious reluctance.
Uryu was also hesitant as he started putting the measuring tape around her to get her exact numbers. He wasn't used to touching a woman so much, and he couldn't stop himself from blushing as he checked her bust size. "Thank you." he mumbled as he went to put the tape back and took out the material for her dress and the tools he would need.
Nemu watched him set up his work station in silence as she ate her pike. It was a bit overcooked and dry, but edible and still tasty. Uryu's hobby of making clothes seemed strange to her, given that he seemed to have a warrior nature. But at least it meant he had something in common with her father, they both liked creating things that required using other people's bodies. It made her feel less of an outsider to this world, watching him work.
The usual knock on the door to alert Uryu that dinner was ready caused him to swear in frustration as he stopped work on her dress. He didn't even glance in her direction as he half-stormed out of the room, so he didn't see the faint smile on her face, as she was reminded of her captain's attitude towards interruptions of his work.
"Uryu?" she asked as he got into bed later that night.
"What is it, Nemu?" he hoped it wasn't something he couldn't answer yet.
"When are you getting married?"
"What?!" he blurted out in total shock.
"This book, it's to teach you how to have a successful courtship and marriage, isn't it?" Nemu held up the book in question.
Uryu felt his embarrassment flare up again as he stared at the romance book in her hand. "I didn't choose that book!" he snapped. "I have to do a report on it for school." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized he actually had just agreed with her. "I'm not getting married, the teacher felt I should broaden my literary horizons by reading contemporary literature." he clarified.
"So it's a work of fiction?" she asked.
"Yes. Please don't use that as any kind of guide for relationships." he told her.
"My apologies if my questions offended you, Uryu."
"Don't worry about it. Good night, Nemu." he said gently.
"Good night, Uryu." she replied, wondering why he had gotten so upset over the book. The people in the book did seem to act a bit silly, but she was curious about intimate relationships. Growing up in a lab, her understanding of people tended to be more biological than emotional. She had feelings herself, but nothing like that book described, probably because it was fiction. She was glad that Uryu had told her. He had lots of emotions himself, and she liked how complex he was.
Uryu was thinking about Nemu as well. He was worried she had been going to ask him when she could leave his room. It wasn't right to keep her a virtual prisoner in his house, but he had sworn to protect her. With his friends spying on him and someone else always in the house, he didn't know what to do. Urahara might have something that would hide her presence from everyone else, but even going to his shop would raise questions. And he didn't know what was worse, his friend's questions or Nemu's. This wasn't the Middle Ages, and who did she think he would marry anyway?