Chapter 19: Friends
The next period required talking. The class had been told to split into groups of three and the Onna had quickly claimed Ulquiorra and the human girl that had punched him before. Only moments after the human girl had come to sit next to the two of them, Orihime had been called out of class to talk to the principle.
The lady instructor of the class had assured Orihime, along with Ulquiorra, that the man just wanted to ask if Orihime would show Ulquiorra around and help him with everything he needed. This was not because she knew him, funnily enough, but because of her amazing grades – despite her long absence – and her tendency to be kind towards everyone.
Ulquiorra had then been left to sit with the human girl, Tatsuki, in an awkward silence.
"So…"
He decided right there and then that he preferred the silence, awkward or not, to awkward chitchat.
He sent her a frosty stare.
She glared right back. "Oh, don't give me that look. I'm only trying to talk to you about Orihime, tear boy."
"… What about the woman do you wish to discuss?"
"Argh!" She rubbed her hands through her hair, aggravated. "Stop talking like that! It gives me the creeps. I just want to talk about her, okay?"
"I will not participate in the gossip of human trash."
"Not gossip! Who do you think I am?!"
"Human trash, as I earlier implied."
"Well, gee, thanks. I suppose you think everyone below you is trash!"
"That is accurate."
"Wait, what?! No, wait, I mean… Well, I actually thought you didn't like me very much because I punched you in the face."
"That is irrelevant. I like no one."
"Since when is a punch to the face irrelevant?! And I thought you didn't think Orihime's trash, huh?"
He did not answer, seeing the conversation as completely pointless.
"Anyway… I just…" Tatsuki sighed. "I want to know that you're not gonna hurt Orihime. I mean, she told me all about Los Noches. And… Well, I guess you're not as bad a guy as I originally thought. But I still don't really like you at all. Orihime's crazy enough to forgive you, but not me. One wrong move and I'll kick your ass, you got it? But… She means something to you… right?"
He paused a moment before answering, not really sure how to reply to the conflicting emotions that were evident in the girl's long winded speech. Finally, he just decided to go with it. "Orihime Inoue is not trash. I have no desire to harm her in any way. She is strong enough to protect herself if I did decide to attack her, though I never will, so there is no reason for you to be saying these things to me."
"So… she matters to you?"
"… I owe her my life."
"But does she matter to you?"
He sighed, already tired of her silly human games. Could she not infer from context that, yes, Orihime did in fact mean something to him? He did not answer, deciding he had said enough, and there was only so much kindness he had to show this friend of the woman's for her to be satisfied.
"I guess she does, since you're silent… Man, you're weird. I still don't really get it." She scratched the back of her head, looking up at the ceiling. "But I guess any friend of Orihime is a friend of mine."
"I do not desire your friendship, girl."
"Hey! I'm trying to be nice, asshole!"
Again, he did not grace her with a reply. He just looked at her, cold as ever, and waited for her to realize how little he cared. It was a small miracle that he was speaking to her at all.
"I'm back!" A cheery voice sang, as Orihime came bouncing into her seat. She sat down between them, smiling brightly, always the peacemaker. "It's nice to see you two getting along."
"Are you kidding?" Tatsuki growled. "This icy bastard is really getting on my nerves."
Ulquiorra stayed silent.
"Oh. Well, I'm sure one day you guys will be friends!"
"Onna, your fantasies are getting carried away again."
She giggled, shrugging.
He resisted the urge to sigh again, leaning back in his chair. "It is of no consequence. Let us finish this mission."
"It's a project, not a mission." Orihime corrected him. "It's fun."
"I hardly see what is fun about this, woman."
"Well look at that," Tatsuki broke in, crossing her arms. "He'll talk to Orihime like she's actually there!"
Ulquiorra was really starting to wonder how much Orihime would despise him if he just cero'd his way out the door.