Author's Note:Oh my, that's a lot of views. Thank you all so much for the views and follows! This is a little short chapter, but this is where the first minor Ulquihime moment comes in! Exciting!

I know it's nothing big, but like I said, he's gotta develop slow, this is Ulquiorra we're talking about.

Without further ado, shall we depart on this adventure about ice cream?

Chapter Seven; Caramel Pecan Ice Cream

The second Ulquiorra got into the park, he couldn't keep his eyes off of a certain area… Specifically, a crater that was just growing its grass back after being filled in.

The woman had left to go to get this treat called 'ice cream'. He had seen a few kids getting ice cream when he had originally infiltrated Karakura with Yammy.

For some reason, he struggled to look back on those memories.

Why?

He had no idea. It was nothing too far in the past, but was it something behind him?

Again, he was unsure.

With that thought in mind, he grimaced and turned away from the new patch of grass clearly outlining where the crater once was.

Perhaps such a time was behind him. Whether that be a good development or a bad one, he was yet to find out.

Luckily, the unpleasant thoughts were interrupted by the woman running back with two cones and some ice cream. "Since you put up such a big fuss about not wanting to choose a flavor, I chose for you!" Ulquiorra frowned, he hadn't wanted to eat ice cream in the first place.

Orihime handed him a cone with a scoop of ice cream on top, and he stared at it suspiciously for a bit. It was mostly a light tan with caramel drizzles on it. It had some pecans poking out the side as well.

"Stop looking at it like it's going to bite you, and eat!"

Ulquiorra looked up at Orihime with unsure eyes, as she dug into her vanilla ice cream. He looked back down and eventually took a hesitant bite. After a moment, he finally formed an opinion.

"Well? Do you like it?"

Ulquiorra looked up at her with an emotionless expression. "It is disgusting."

"Oh."

A moment after, he slowly took another bite, and Orihime gave the widest smile. "Yeah, disgusting," she giggled

Ulquiorra obviously wouldn't say it aloud, but he could get used to this food called 'ice cream.'

Of course, not by his own decision. He would never do such a human-like thing without being asked by the woman.

With that thought in mind, he finished the ice cream. Suddenly, his head began to hurt a lot for a moment. He shuffled a bit to try to avoid the woman noticing his face tightening.

Eventually, it subsided.

Orihime smiled, "You ate that fast! I couldn't even finish mine that fast!" she beamed, then quickly ate hers. She suddenly slung back and slapped a hand to her forehead. "Ow! Ow!"

Ulquiorra gave her the most confused look you'd ever see on the emotionless Espada, as she re-composed herself. "Brain freeze! That stuff hurts."

Oh. That's what that was earlier.

Ulquiorra suddenly got up, as Orihime watched curiously. "You O.K, Ulquiorra?"

He didn't respond, and just shuffled over into the field of the park, hands in pockets. Orihime eventually stood up and walked over to where he was going and felt her heart sink once she realized where they were.

How could've she have forgotten?

"...Ulquiorra…" she said softly, as he walked into the indent on the ground where the new grass was growing in.

"Save it."

Now, that caught Orihime completely off guard. Ulquiorra almost sounded… upset. Or mad. She couldn't really tell. She'd rarely seen him like this when they were at Las Noches. Not even when she hit him.

She put her hands up to her chest as she watched him stare down at the grass, remaining his emotionless expression.

Ulquiorra wasn't sure what he was doing, or why he suddenly felt so annoyed with the woman. He was familiar with feeling anger and annoyance. Very rarely.

But… this was different.

Was he even angry at the woman?

Or was he angry… with himself?

Ludicrous, the woman is rubbing off on his behaviors and feelings.

Feelings?

No, he did not feel those. Why did he think that she was rubbing off on his 'feelings' then? Or was it that she was giving him them?

No, that did not make sense.

He was the embodiment of emptiness.

He slowly put his hand up to his lower neck, and put it over his invisible hollow hole. After a moment of circling the area, he unzipped the collar of his kimono quietly. There was still an indent where the hollow hole was hidden…

…Why did it feel smaller?...

…How did it feel smaller?...

The gigai. He came to the logical and simple explanation that the gigai was changing it. But how? Unless it was actively changing, which was preposterous since gigai's don't actively change unless it's natural growth.

Was this natural growth?

No. Something else was linked to it…

…Something that was enough to make a large impact on him…

…Something that was able to make an impact on him at all…

…Something… that… made… him… feel…

He slowly turned his gaze to the woman at the realization, as his eyes slightly widened. Orihime stood there, beautiful auburn hair flowing in the wind, hands up to her chest, worried expression gracing her soft features.

Her.

She was the one responsible for this.

She was the only one who could… make him…

…Feel.

Ulquiorra opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes only widened more, and he found himself speechless.

He was never left speechless. Never did he hesitate, never did he have to think twice about his actions…

What was she doing to him?

He quickly cleared his throat and swiftly zipped his kimono up. "P- Perhaps we should head back to the house now." Had he just stuttered? Well, there goes another chunk of his quickly decaying dignity.

Orihime smiled, and that hit something in Ulquiorra. A good feeling, perhaps. He will have to note that down later, if he's going to get used to this.

He was quite literally pulled out of his thoughts as she grabbed his arm and hyperactively began to drag him about. "I know what we can do! We could play a board game! O- Or watch a movie!" she beamed as he let himself get dragged behind her.

Possibly he could adjust to this.

…Perhaps.