At the request of Nataliebug2, I have decided to make this into a long story of sorts. So... uh, enjoy?
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Orihime sat on her couch, staring out the barred window at the luminous moon, hanging in the black expanse above the sands of Hueco Mundo. She was quietly thinking to herself, as was per usual as of late, and somewhere in the back of her mind recognized the fact that Ulquiorra would soon be bringing her lunch.
Ulquiorra. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about the man. He was cold, heartless even, and a little on the morbid side. He was a hollow, an espada, and a ruthless killer. Above all else, he was on the enemies' side. That alone was enough of a reason to not like him, trust him, or talk to him.
Still, he was the only person there that didn't frighten her. At first, she had been scared witless of him. The day that they met he didn't even move the whole time- it was Yammy doing all of the fighting- and yet no one could take their eyes off of him. His very presence alone had been the scariest thing that she had come across in a long time. She couldn't quite recall why she had been so frightened of him back then. Maybe it was his frosty glare, combined with soulless eyes. It could have been his perfect calm amid all the chaos that was happening around him. Perhaps it was how he looked at Ichigo as if he was a small annoyance, like a loud fly buzzing past his ear instead of the powerful thing that he was.
She couldn't remember.
Now, though, she wasn't afraid of him. She wasn't even nervous around him any more. His presence had become calming to her. His serous and un-effectible demeanor just had a very soothing effect on her now; one she now found herself looking forward to each day.
"Woman."
Orihime jumped, turning to the doorway. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard him come in.
"Oh, sorry Ulquiorra. I didn't hear you come in." She smiled brightly, patting the seat beside her. "Come sit down."
He moved over to her side soundlessly, showing no emotion. He sat down and offered her the silver platter that all of her food was served on, which today was topped with a piece of bread, a small bowl of what looked to be rice pudding, and a couple browning slices of apple.
She sighed. "They could at least have mixed some wasabi into the pudding." She mumbled. "And maybe a little bit of pepper on the apples, or some banana and bean paste on the toast."
"Those sound anything but appetizing." Ulquiorra deadpanned. "I am not interested in what humans eat, but from what I have learned in order to keep you fed, that combination of food would not be edible to an ordinary human."
She laughed. "Yeah, but that's because everyone else has a boring sense of taste. I like my food to be a little bit more exciting, you know?"
He was silent for a beat. Then he said, "I will speak to the chef and see if it is possible for him to make your food more… exciting." Then he narrowed his eyes. "But be assured, woman, I will not allow you to poison and render yourself useless."
She giggled. "You'd be surprised! I have a pretty strong stomach. I don't think I could poison myself if I tried!"
"Hm."
She started to eat her meal, which was a bit more tasteful than they had been in the beginning, but it still made her gag a little bit simply due to the lack of taste.
Once she was a good way through her meal she started to talk, which he seemed to mind less and less. "So, Ulquiorra, how has your day been?"
He regarded her from the corner of his eye a moment before moving his gaze back to the wall across from them. "Uneventful."
"That's it?" She asked, giving him a small pout.
"What else would you have me say?"
"I don't know." She sighed out, spooning the rice pudding onto her piece of toast. "Something more than uneventful." She added the apples to the top of the rice pudding and bread, and then took a bight of the concoction. It didn't taste that bad at all. She would have to combine her food more often in the future.
He looked over at the food in apparent disdain. "That is all that my day has been as of yet. Uneventful."
"Well, that sounds like no fun." She stated, finishing off her food. She put the empty tray on the ground and then folded her legs under herself, angling her body so that she could talk to the arrancar sitting next to her. "Now, since I asked you about my day, how about you ask me about mine?"
"Why would I do such a thing? I already know how your day has gone. You have not stepped foot out of this room, and as a direct result your day has been less eventful than my own."
She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip. She held a finger in the air. "Because it's nice." She said, giving him a look. "If someone asks you how your day has gone, you are supposed to ask how their day has gone, too."
"Foolishness." He said blandly. For a second he was quiet, not even flinching under the power of her imploring eyes, but then he finally allowed a small sigh. "How has your day been, woman?"
She beamed. "It's been pretty boring, actually. I walked around a bunch so that I don't get out of shape in here, but that was about it. So far this has been the most exciting part of my day. But that goes without saying, right? Oh! I did see a hollow flying around outside my window earlier. That was sort of fun. I think he got eaten by that giant sand hollow when he landed though…"
"Such is the way of Hueco Mundo. The weak are consumed."
"Yeah, I know. It's too bad, you know? I mean, in the soul society, from what I've seen, people try to cooperate to make it a better place for everyone. I think that it would be a lot of fun to live here if the hollows started to cooperate."
"That is ridiculous." He said, leaning back a little. "The hollows out side of Los Noches are mindless beasts, and a great portion of the ones within the palace crave the bloody life we already lead. If there was no killing here, many of the espada would go mad and as a result would probably go to the world of the living and begin an endless killing spree."
"Oh." She thought for a moment, and then said, "Well, I guess this is the way things have to be, huh?"
"So it seems."
She leaned back into the couch as well, her arm a breath away from brushing his. "I don't get it." She finally admitted. "Why do they like to kill so much? You don't like killing, do you?"
"I don not take joy from pointless slaughter." He said, not looking at her. "Others enjoy it for multiple reasons. For example, Grimmjow. He enjoys killing because it is a testament to his strength. It makes him feel as if he controls those whom cannot defeat him. He also enjoys the thrill of battle. He may also simply lust for blood. Those are the three main reasons we desire to end the existences of countless others. Another reason is that the hollow hole in the chest of any hollow leaves something to be filled. Taking other lives seems to ebb the need for a period of time, if what I have been told is to be believed."
"Oh."
"I have duties to attend to. You will remain here."
She smiled. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow!"
He got up, and then turned to look at Orihime. "Yes, you will."
He was almost to the doorway when she called out to him. "Ulquiorra?"
He paused.
"Tomorrow," She hesitated for a second, and then finally forced the words out, thinking that she wouldn't waste his time hesitating. "Do you think that maybe you could come a little bit earlier than usual?"
He looked at her, perplexed. "Why?"
She felt a faint blush crawl up to her cheeks. "Well, when you're around, this place doesn't feel so empty…"
He blinked. The he paused for a moment, thinking, of what seemed to be an excuse. She wasn't sure if it was an excuse to say yes or no until he spoke. "I suppose it is my duty to keep you from becoming insane. I will come earlier in order to keep you from loosing your mind."
She smiled, feeling her heart lighten a little. "Thank you."
"Your gratitude is pointless. I will come because it is my duty."
She shrugged. "I don't care. I'm still thankful."
And for a second his eyes almost looked… soft. "I will return this evening, then. Until then, you are to stay in this room and behave yourself."
She nodded, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He was gone then, closing the door behind him, leaving her alone.
And for the life of her, she couldn't understand what she had just done. She didn't know why she as already egger for tomorrow to come so that he would come in early and talk longer. She was already happily anticipating the evening, when he would return with her dinner.
She smiled.
Really, it didn't matter why she was so looking forward to seeing him. She was happy, and that was all that mattered.
Still… she was confused as to why.
In time, perhaps, she would discover why.